Rajasthan court refuses to hear suit seeking declaration of Ajmer shrine as Shiv temple

A court in Ajmer on Wednesday refused to hear a civil suit seeking to declare the mausoleum of Sufi saint Moinuddin Chishti as a Shiv temple, saying it had no jurisdiction over it.

The suit filed by Hindu Sena president Vishnu Gupta through his counsel in the court of a civil judge claimed that the shrine was built on top of temple ruins and should therefore be declared as the Bhagwan Shri Sankatmochan Mahadev Temple.

It also sought that the act under which the dargah functions be declared null and void, the right of worship be given to Hindus, and the ASI (Archaeological Survey of India) be directed to conduct a scientific survey of the place.

Gupta's counsel Shashi Ranjan said the plaintiff conducted a two-year research and found that "Muslim invaders" destroyed a Shiv temple and built the dargah over it.

According to Ranjan, the court of civil judge said it was beyond its jurisdiction to hear the suit and the matter was adjourned. It will be heard next on 10 October. "I will be filing an application in the district court for the transfer of the suit before the next hearing," he said.

Meanwhile, Syed Sarwar Chishti, secretary of Anjuman Syed Zadgan, a body representing the khadims (servers) of the Ajmer dargah, condemned the civil suit and described it as a deliberate attempt to fracture the society along communal lines. Chishti held a press conference in Ajmer and highlighted the spiritual significance of the shrine.

"The holy shrine of Khawaja Gharib Nawaz in Ajmer is revered by Muslims and Hindus across the world, especially in the Indian subcontinent. There is no doubt that right-wing forces are aiming to isolate Muslims and disrupt communal harmony by eyeing the 12th century Sufi shrine," he said.

He called the petition part of a larger ecosystem working against Muslims. "For the past decade, coordinated efforts have been made against the Muslim community. The prime minister's silence on issues like mob lynching and house demolitions have emboldened such forces," he said.

"I urge the people of our country who believe in the values of Mahatma Gandhi and Baba Saheb Ambedkar to take a stand against such divisive forces. We must save our great nation from these elements of division," Chishti added.

Muzzafar Bharti, president of the United Muslim Forum Rajasthan (UMFR), criticised the petition, calling it a "sheer violation of the Places of Worship Act 1991".

"Ajmer dargah has stood for communal harmony, compassion, peace, and love for the past 800 years," he said and urged the Union Ministry of Minority Affairs to take firm action against the petitioner for "hurting the sentiments of crores of Indians."