Jaipur: Ajmer Sharif dargah Deewan Zainul Abedin Ali Khan on Monday commended Prime Minister Narendra Modi for sending a ceremonial 'chadar' for the shrine, saying that his gesture symbolised respect for all communities in the country.
Addressing an annual gathering of Sufi leaders and custodians of major dargahs at the Ajmer Sharif during the ongoing 'Urs' of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, he described the gesture as a message for communal harmony.
The spiritual head of the Ajmer Dargah said that the prime minister's act symbolised respect for India's diverse religious fabric and countered attempts to incite discord over temple-mosque controversies.
"Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti's shrine exemplifies communal harmony, drawing reverence from Hindus and Muslims alike," he said. The gathering also proposed the formation of a National Harmony Board under PM Modi's leadership to promote peace across the nation.
In a related development, ceremonial 'chadars' will be offered at the shrine on Tuesday on behalf of Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge.
At the chief minister's residence on Monday, a 'chadar' was handed over to BJP state minority morcha chief Hameed Khan Mewati, who will offer it at the shrine on behalf of the CM.
Rajasthan Congress president Govind Singh Dotasra, Leader of Opposition Tikaram Jully and other leaders will visit Ajmer to present the 'chadar' on behalf of Kharge. On Saturday, a chadar on behalf of Prime Minister Narendra Modi was offered at the dargah by Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju.
In November last year, a controversy erupted after a court in Ajmer admitted a petition claiming the dargah was built over a Shiva temple and issued notices to the Ajmer Dargah committee, the Ministry of Minority Affairs and the Archaeological Survey of India.
Hindu Sena president Vishnu Gupta, who filed the petition, had called on the prime minister not to send a 'chadar' this time. 'Urs' is held at the Ajmer Dargah to commemorate the death anniversary of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti.
