Thu Nov 28 05:49:57 UTC 2024: ## Ajmer Dargah Survey Ordered: Court Notice to ASI, Central Government
**Ajmer, Rajasthan:** An Ajmer district court has issued notices to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and the central government following a petition claiming the existence of a Shiva temple within the Ajmer Dargah Sharif. The petition, filed in September, seeks to reinstate worship at the alleged site.
The court also issued notices to the Ajmer Dargah Committee, the Ministry of Minority Affairs, and the ASI office in New Delhi, according to the petitioner’s lawyer, Yogesh Siroj. The petition, filed by Vishnu Gupta, head of the Hindu Sena, argues that a mosque was constructed after demolishing an existing temple. The petitioner requests that the Ajmer Dargah be declared the “Sangat Mochan Mahadev Temple.”
This action follows recent religious tensions in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, where clashes resulted in fatalities. The court’s decision comes amidst similar claims being made against prominent religious sites across India, including Varanasi, Mathura, and Dhara. The next hearing is scheduled for December 20th. The Ajmer Dargah Sharif, the shrine of Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, is a significant pilgrimage site for Muslims.
First Piper 