Ajmer: A delegation from the All India Muslim Personal Law Board visited the Dargah of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti to express solidarity with the dargah committee and Sajjadgan. On December 12, the delegation held a joint press conference with Anjuman-e-Sayyidgan, firmly rejecting claims that a temple existed on the site before the shrine was built. They urged the courts to dismiss such baseless assertions, warning that continued acceptance of such claims could lead to lawlessness and anarchy in the country, despite the existence of the Places of Worship Act of 1991.
The delegation was led by Maulana Shah Muhammad Fazal-ur-Rahim Mujaddidi, General Secretary of the Board, and included Dr. Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas, Board spokesperson, Maulana Abu Talib Rahmani, Executive Member, and Mohammad Nazimuddin, Ameer Halqa of Jamaat-e-Islami, Rajasthan.
The delegation reassured dargah officials of the Board’s unwavering moral and practical support in any legal, political, or constitutional struggle. They expressed surprise and concern over the Ajmer local court’s decision to entertain a petition and issue notices despite historical evidence and the legal safeguards provided by the Places of Worship Act.
Expressing their anger, the delegation highlighted a troubling trend of claims targeting mosques and dargahs across India. The case of Sambhal’s Jama Masjid remains unresolved, and now a claim suggests Ajmer Dargah sits on the site of the Sankat Mochan Mahadev temple. The petition names the Dargah Committee, the Union Ministry of Minority Affairs, and the Archaeological Department as respondents.
The Board reiterated that such claims undermine the Places of Worship Act, which maintains that the status of religious sites as of August 15, 1947, cannot be altered or contested. This law was enacted to prevent any further disputes following the Babri Masjid case. However, despite this legal safeguard, ongoing cases involving Gyanvapi Jama Masjid (Varanasi), Shahi Eidgah (Mathura), Bhujshala Masjid (Madhya Pradesh), Teele Wali Masjid (Lucknow), Sambhal Jama Masjid, Jaunpur’s mosque, and Ajmer Dargah reflect blatant disregard for the law and Constitution.
The delegation condemned the lower courts’ willingness to entertain such claims, citing the Supreme Court’s ruling during the Babri Masjid case, which explicitly reinforced the Places of Worship Act. They warned that allowing these cases to proceed opens floodgates for further disputes and tensions.
Highlighting the revered status of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, the delegation emphasized that the Ajmer Dargah holds deep respect and devotion among both Muslims and Hindus.
Maulana Sarwar Chishti, representing the Dargah Committee, expressed gratitude to the All India Muslim Personal Law Board for their solidarity and pledged to collaborate with the Board in addressing these challenges
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