Claim of Shiva Temple at the Dargah Site
This dispute gained prominence following a petition filed by Vishnu Gupta, national president of the Hindu Sena. He claims that an ancient Sankat Mochan Mahadev Temple existed within the Ajmer Dargah complex. Gupta presented historical facts, old photographs, maps, and documents as evidence in his petition. He argues that a Shiva temple previously stood on the Dargah’s current site, destroyed by Muslim invaders who then built the Dargah. Gupta has requested the court to order a survey of the site by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and grant Hindus the right to worship there.
The Ajmer Civil Court accepted this petition on 27 November 2024, following which notices were issued to the Dargah Committee, the Ministry of Minority Affairs, and the ASI. Given the sensitivity of the case, the administration has implemented stringent security measures in Ajmer. Special security arrangements have been made around the court complex, and police are maintaining heightened vigilance throughout the city.
Organisations Associated with the Dargah Oppose the Claim
Meanwhile, the Muslim community and organisations associated with the Dargah, such as Anjuman Syed Zadegan, have strongly opposed this claim, terming it an attempt to disrupt communal harmony. The Dargah’s Khadims (custodians) and committee have argued in court that the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, is applicable. This Act prohibits changing the character of any place of worship as it existed on 15 August 1947. Conversely, Vishnu Gupta contends that this Act does not apply to the Dargah, as it is a mazar (tomb), not a place of worship.
