Ajmer Dargah row: Muslim bodies in Jaipur appeal to SC to prevent manipulation of religious sites – India TV

Muslim organizations in Jaipur have appealed to the Supreme Court to intervene and prevent attempts to “manipulate” the Ajmer Sharif Dargah and other religious places, urging the court to maintain the status quo of mosques and prohibit any inspection of these religious places .

The appeal, filed Monday, comes in response to legal petitions that have been filed alleging that temples once existed at the locations of certain mosques. These organizations expressed concern that such efforts were an attempt to alter the religious and historical significance of these sites, particularly the Ajmer Sharif Dargah, a revered shrine of Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti.

Mohammad Nazimuddin, the convener of the Tahaffuz-e-Auqaf joint committee, which represents various Muslim groups, said in a statement: “Attempts are being made to end the status quo of mosques in the name of polls by filing false court cases claiming temples existed on the sites of the mosques.” He further asked the Supreme Court to intervene and prevent tampering with holy places, specifically Ajmer Dargah.

Syed Saadat Ali, advocate and state president of Association for Protection of Civil Rights, expressed alarm over a lower court’s decision to consider a petition claiming that a Shiva temple once existed at the Ajmer Dargah site. He maintained that such a measure is not only worrying but also goes against the principles enshrined in the Constitution. “It is contrary to the Constitution to accept petitions that seek to change the status quo of religious places,” he stated.

Jameel Khan, head of AIMIM’s Rajasthan unit, added that Ajmer Dargah is a symbol of religious unity in India and stressed the importance of respecting the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, which prohibits conversion of character religious of any place of worship. Khan urged the Supreme Court to dismiss these petitions, which he believes are filed to create unnecessary tensions and disturb communal harmony in the country.

The appeal by Muslim organizations comes at a time when tensions around religious sites are rising, with concerns over the impact of such petitions on India’s pluralistic fabric. The groups are asking the Supreme Court to ensure that the Places of Worship Law is fully upheld and that lower courts refrain from hearing petitions seeking studies or attempts to alter the religious status of these important sites.

(PTI entries)