Ajmer Dargah Head Appeals to SC, PM Modi to Uphold Justice and Unity

Ajmer- Haji Syed Salman Chishty, head priest of the Ajmer Sharif Dargah, appealed to the Supreme Court and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take action against hate-mongers and uphold justice and unity following a court's admission of a petition claiming the existence of a Hanuman temple within the Dargah premises.

The petition, filed by Vishnu Gupta, National President of Hindu Sena, was admitted by a lower court in Ajmer on Wednesday. The court, presided over by Civil Judge Manmohan Chandel, has issued notices to the Ministry of Minority Affairs, the Dargah Committee Ajmer, and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to respond by December 20.

The petition argues that the Sankat Mochan Mahadev temple is located within the Ajmer Sharif Dargah, basing its claims on a 1911 book by retired judge Harvilas Sharda, "Ajmer: Historical and Descriptive." The book suggests that debris from a Shiva temple was used in the Dargah's construction and even mentions a Jain temple within the sanctum sanctorum.

Gupta highlighted Hindu traditions visible around the Dargah, including carvings on the Buland Darwaza, and urged the ASI to conduct an investigation for evidence, such as water sources often found near Shiva temples.

Chishty, in his appeal, emphasized the historical and cultural significance of the Ajmer Sharif Dargah, stating, "Ajmer Sharif is Ajmer Sharif….. It’s not just a part of history but a classic representation of Living History! The sanctity and sacredness of Ajmer Sharif must be and shall be preserved." He expressed concern that "misusing courts and religious sentiments for divisive agendas defames revered Sufi shrines, erodes constitutional values, and threatens India’s harmony." He further said, "We appeal to the Hon’ble Supreme Court and Prime Minister to act decisively against hate-mongers and uphold justice and unity. Let us honour Khwaja Gharib Nawaz’s timeless legacy of unconditional love, peace, and compassion."

The Dargah Committee has denied the claims, and Syed Sarwar Chishti, secretary of Anjuman Syed Jadgan, an organization of khadims of the Dargah, expressed concern over the petition's potential impact on communal harmony. He stated, “Such acts are against communal harmony and nation. The court has issued notices to three parties today. We will see what we can do. Such acts of targeting age-old mosques in Kashi, Mathura are not good.” He further blamed former CJI Chandrachoor for the rule change. “We have seen challenging times, however, nothing has changed. This is garib nawaz dargah and it shall stay the same in future too,” he added.