Petitions for publicity, even PM Modi revers the Sufi saint, says Ajmer Sharif dargah caretakers amid Hindu temple claim

The caretakers of Ajmer Sharif Dargah in Rajashthan have condemned the ongoing controversy surrounding the shrine saying that the petitions are filed for ‘publicity’ and ‘personal interest.’ Even Prime Ministers, including Prime Minister Modi, have revered the shrine of Moinuddin Chishti, the 13th-century Sufi saint.

The comments come after a Rajasthan court accepted a petition submitted by the Hindu Sena, claiming that Ajmer Sharif Dargah is Lord Shiva's temple.

"...Anyone can go to the court. And the court will entertain it (petition). There will be proper evidence, and the proof will be submitted. Then the final verdict will be passed. There is a long way to go," Syed Zainul Abidin Ali Khan, the Sajjada Nasheen ( main care taker) of the Ajmet Sharif shrine told news agency ANI. Khan cited the example of recent incident about Sambhal Mosque in Uttar Pradesh where stone-pelting following a court-ordered survey led to the death of four people.

A local court in Ajmer on November 27 directed that notice be issued to three parties in a civil suit that claims that there is a Shiva temple in the dargah of Moinuddin Chishti in Ajmer, the plaintiff's advocate said. Advocate Yogesh Siroja told reporters in Ajmer that the suit was heard in the court of Civil Judge Manmohan Chandel.

Vishnu Gupta, President of the National Hindu Army who filed a case claiming there is a Lord Shiva temple within Ajmer's Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti Dargah shrine.

Syed Afsan Chishty, one of the caretakers said the followers of Khawaja Garib Nawaz are spread across the world, and they come from not only Islam but every religion. Moinuddin Chishti is popularly known as Garib Nawaz - kind to the poor.

PM Modi offers chadar 

"I say this with great sadness and surprise that the court has accepted a claim that has no substance. Whoever is doing all this to impact the peace of India should be deterred from this. The communal harmony of our country should not be affected in any manner.. Garib Nawaz's followers are spread across the world. His followers are not only in Islam but in every religion. Even PM Narendra Modi sends chadar on His Urs every year. The Prime Ministers before him also did the same," he said.

The dargah management prepared and distribute 4,000 kg of vegetarian "Langar" food to mark Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 74th birthday on September 17, 2024.

Chishty further urged the intervention of the Centre and PM Modi in such matters adding that the people involved should be probed.

"Dragging the Dargah into controversies is hurting the belief of everyone. I condemn this strongly. I urge the Centre and PM Narendra Modi to intervene in such matters and rein them in. We suspect that such people (petitioners) are colluding with enemies of India...These people should be probed," Chishty said.

(With ANI inputs)