In a notable development in Ajmer, a court application has been submitted seeking to temporarily prevent Prime Minister Narendra Modi from presenting a chadar at the Ajmer Sharif Dargah during the annual Urs of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti. The petitioner, Vishnu Gupta, President of Hindu Sena, contends that the gesture should be halted as the dargah is currently embroiled in a legal dispute.
The lawsuit, integral to this plea, claims that the dargah stands on what was once a demolished Shiva temple. This legal action brings to light the historical and ongoing debates surrounding the site’s origins.
Adding to the complexity, Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Kiren Rijiju, recently shared a tweet depicting Prime Minister Modi handing over a chadar intended for the dargah, a practice continued by previous prime ministers. Rijiju praised Modi’s action as reflecting “deep respect for India’s rich spiritual heritage and the enduring message of harmony and compassion.”
Gupta’s application raises concerns that the government’s participation, particularly in sending a chadar to a disputed site, might infringe upon judicial independence and affect the fairness of the ongoing trial. He argues that this could potentially “obstruct the judicial process and vitiate the independence of the court,” rendering the case moot.
The plea specifically requests that the central government abstain from offering the chadar. The historical significance of the Ajmer Dargah as the resting place of the revered Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti adds layers to the dispute. The design at the dargah’s main gate, which the suit claims has Hindu architectural elements, is cited as evidence of the site’s purported original identity.
