New Delhi: Delhi's Saket Court has directed the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) not to remove the idols of Lord Ganesha kept in the Quwwat-ul-Islam Masjid on the premises of the Qutub Minar complex.
The judgment came in the favor of the petitioner, who filed the petition suggesting idols of 'Lord Ganesha should not be displayed in the National Museum or any other place but should be placed respectfully inside the Qutub complex.
The petition filed by advocate Vishnu Jain states that Quwwat-ul-Islam Masjid has been built by demolishing 27 temples of Hindus and Jains. Jain Tirthankar, Lord Rishabhdev, and Lord Vishnu were made petitioners in this case.
On 29 November 2021, Civil Judge Neha Sharma dismissed the petition, later the judgment got challenged in the District Judge's Court. The petition demanding the right to worship the deities present inside the mosque premises is still pending in the court.
Meanwhile, BJP leader and the chairman of the National Monuments Authority (NMA) Tarun Vijay said on Thursday that he had also raised the issue by saying that, Ganesha idols placed “disrespectfully” in the Qutub Minar complex should either be removed or installed “respectfully”.
The former MP said he had raised the issue with the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) more than a year ago but is yet to receive a response to his letter.
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