Rajasthan: Former CM Gehlot Slams BJP Over Ajmer Dargah Row

Jaipur- Congress leader and former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot criticized the BJP following a petition filed in an Ajmer court claiming the existence of a Shiva temple within the Ajmer Dargah premises. Gehlot questioned the party's motives, stating that while Prime Minister Modi and other BJP leaders have offered 'chadar' at the dargah, their party members are simultaneously filing lawsuits creating religious controversy.

"People from across the country offer prayers at the Ajmer Dargah. Even all the Prime Ministers, including PM Modi, have offered 'chadar' at the dargah," Gehlot said. "On one hand, chadar is being offered, while on the other, members of their party are approaching courts and creating confusion. What kind of message is being sent?"

Gehlot emphasized the historical significance of the 800-year-old dargah, highlighting its importance as a place of worship for Hindus and Muslims alike. He stressed that questioning the religious status of sites established before India's independence was divisive and unwarranted. Gehlot further stated, "Where there is unrest, there can't be development."

The petition, filed by Vishnu Gupta, National President of Hindu Sena, claims the Sankat Mochan Mahadev temple is located within the dargah premises. The petition cites a 1911 book by retired judge Harvilas Sharda, "Ajmer: Historical and Descriptive," which suggests the dargah's construction utilized debris from a Shiva temple. The petition further alleges the presence of a Jain temple within the sanctum sanctorum.

The Ajmer court has admitted the petition and issued notices to the Ministry of Minority Affairs, the Dargah Committee Ajmer, and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), requesting their responses. The next hearing is scheduled for December 20.