Final hearing in Ajmer Dargah-temple dispute today
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Ajmer: The final hearing in the high-profile Ajmer Dargah dispute will take place on Saturday at the Ajmer Civil Court, where both sides are expected to present their concluding arguments. The court is set to deliberate on the maintainability of the petition filed by Hindu Sena National President Vishnu Gupta, who claims that the revered Sufi shrine was constructed over a demolished Hindu temple.
In the previous hearing held on May 31, the court had indicated that it would examine whether Gupta’s petition is legally sustainable. Earlier, Gupta had submitted a stay application urging the court to restrain all government departments from offering 'chadar' at the Dargah.
In response to the petition, the Ministry of Minority Affairs and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) filed their replies before the court.
The case originated from a petition submitted by Gupta, who asserts that the Ajmer Dargah stands on the original site of a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. The Dargah Committee has responded by filing a plea for dismissal of the case. Meanwhile, the Anjuman Committee, associated with the Dargah, has also approached the Rajasthan High Court regarding the matter.
Gupta’s argument is based on three core claims. He contends that the architectural style of the Buland Darwaza within the Dargah complex bears strong resemblance to Hindu temple design, particularly in its carvings and ornamentation. He also points to elements in the domes and upper structures of the shrine that he alleges are remnants of temple architecture. Additionally, Gupta claims the presence of water features typical of Shiva temples, which, according to him, suggests the site was once home to the Sankat Mochan Mahadev Mandir.
As part of the evidence, Gupta has stated he is ready to submit a Sanskrit manuscript titled 'Prithviraj Vijay', dated 1250 AD, along with its Hindi translation, which he says contains historical references supporting his claims about Ajmer’s religious past.
He has also cited arguments previously raised by advocate Varun Kumar Sena in the Supreme Court, asserting that the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act does not apply to the Ajmer Dargah since it is a religious site and, he argues, falls outside the scope of the Act.
Following a formal security request by Gupta, Superintendent of Police Vandita Rana has directed that security arrangements be provided to him.
The Ajmer Civil Court had accepted Gupta’s petition on November 27, 2024, and subsequently issued notices to the Ministry of Minority Affairs, the Dargah Committee, and the ASI.
Several individuals and organisations have moved applications seeking to be made parties in the case. These include the Anjuman Committee, Dargah Diwan Ghulam Dastagir of Ajmer, A. Imran from Bengaluru, and Raj Jain from Hoshiarpur, Punjab.
Gupta has further cited a 1911 publication titled 'Ajmer: Historical and Descriptive', authored by retired judge Harbilas Sarda, which allegedly claims that debris from a Hindu temple was used in the construction of the Dargah. The petition also suggests the possibility that a Jain temple may have once existed in the sanctum sanctorum of the site.
With IANS inputs
