Hindu Sena moves court, claiming Ajmer Dargah built over temple

After Mathura and Varanasi, now a court in Ajmer issued a notice to the defendants (representing the Muslim side) on Nov 27 in a civil lawsuit alleging that the Ajmer Dargah in Rajasthan was constructed on the site of a Shiva temple.

The lawsuit seeks to have the site officially recognized as Bhagwan Shri Sankatmochan Mahadev Virajman Temple.

Man Mohan Chandel, a civil judge in the junior division, issued the order, with the next hearing scheduled for Dec 20.

The lawsuit was filed by Vishnu Gupta, President of the Hindu Sena, through lawyer Shashi Ranjan Kumar Singh.

It seeks the removal of the Dargah Committee from the property and requests a survey of the Dargah by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

The lawsuit claims that the design of the main entrance’s roof resembles that of Hindu architecture, suggesting the site was originally a temple.

"The materials and style of these chatrees clearly indicate their Hindu origin. Their intricate carvings are hidden under layers of color and whitewash, which, if removed, would reveal the site’s true identity," the petition reads.

Additionally, the petition argues that there is no documented evidence to support the claim that the Ajmer Dargah was built on undeveloped land.

Historical records, it states, suggest the site previously housed Jain temples and a Mahadeva temple, where Hindus worshipped their gods.

As a result, the lawsuit has requested the Union government to rebuild the Bhagwan Shri Sankatmochan Mahadev Temple at the contested location.

Recently, a local court in Sambhal of Uttar Pradesh ordered inspection of a Mughal-era mosque, the Shahi Jama Masjid, after the petition was filed that it was constructed on the location of a Hindu temple.

Gopal Sharma, a local lawyer for the Hindu side, said that in 1529, Mughal Emperor Babur destroyed the temple that had previously existed there.