Rajasthan Court, Ajmer: In a civil suit filed by Hindu Sena chief (plaintiff) against the Ajmer Dargah Committee, Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), and Union Ministry of Minority Affairs, claiming that the Ajmer Sharif Dargah is a Shiva temple known as Bhagwan Shri Sankatmochan Mahadev Virajman Temple, a single-judge bench of Manmohan Chandel, J., on 27-11-2024, issued notices to the respondents.
In the instant matter, the plaintiff claimed that the Ajmer Dargah, the mausoleum of Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, was constructed on the site of a pre-existing Hindu temple dedicated to Bhagwan Shri Sankatmochan Mahadev.
The plaintiff alleged that historical accounts and architectural features of the Dargah, such as the roof design and carvings, resemble Hindu temple structures. It was claimed that a Shiva Linga exists in an underground passage within the Dargah complex. The plaintiff asserted that the religious rights of Hindus under Article 25 of the Constitution are being infringed.
The plaintiff sought the following relief —
-
The Ajmer Dargah should be declared as Bhagwan Shri Sankatmochan Mahadev Virajman Temple.
-
Direction to the ASI to conduct a survey of the Dargah premises to confirm the existence of remnants of the Shiva temple.
-
Direction to reconstruct the temple after removing the existing structure.
The Court issued notices to the Ajmer Dargah Committee, ASI, and Union Ministry of Minority Affairs. The Court fixed the next date of the hearing on 20-12-2024.
[Vishnu Gupta v. Ajmer Dargah Committee, Decided on 27-11-2024]
*Source – Press
Advocates who appeared in this case:
Shashi Ranjan Kumar Singh, Counsel for the Plaintiff
Buy Constitution of India HERE
