'First mosques, now shrines... ex-CJI opened Pandora's box'

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru

Political leaders of Kashmir on Thursday criticised the petition seeking a survey of the renowned Ajmer Sharif Dargah in Rajasthan and claiming that there was a Shiva temple at the shrine. They warned that “the move could exacerbate communal tensions across the country.” Former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir and People's Democratic Party (PDP) chief, Mehbooba Mufti, blamed recent judicial decisions for escalating tensions. "Thanks to a former Chief Justice of India, a Pandora's box has been opened, sparking a contentious debate about minority religious places," she posted on X.

Referring to the Supreme Court's directive to maintain the status quo of places of worship as of 1947, she added, "...judgement has paved the way for surveys of these sites, potentially leading to increased tension between Hindus and Muslims. The recent violence in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, is the direct result of this judgment. First mosques and now Muslim shrines like Ajmer Sharief are being targeted, which can result in further bloodshed. The question remains: who will take responsibility for perpetuating this communal violence reminiscent of the partition days?" The People's Conference (PC) President, Sajad Lone, also slammed what he termed a national obsession with “inventing hidden temples.” Drawing comparisons between India and Dubai, Lone lamented, “Ajmer symbolizes spiritualism and unity.

In contrast, our country, once soulful, now seems tragically soulless, driven by divisive pursuits.” “Yet another shocker. The suit was filed in pursuit of a temple supposedly hidden somewhere in the Ajmer Dargah Sharif. As we bid goodbye to 2024, we are in the age of Artificial Intelligence. The tech age. And as Indians let us be honest. We have not contributed to any technological revolution,” he wrote in a long X post. "Those educated ones who should have been at the forefront of heralding the Indian tech revolution are busy in mythologizing. I was recently in Dubai and had the chance to see magnificence in the form of architecture of the temples that have been built here. What an oasis of tolerance and mutual respect Dubai has turned out to be. So good it is. Literally every nationality is here and in how an orderly manner they live,” he says. The All India Muslim Personal Law Board expressed concern over the recent claims on mosques and dargahs in various courts in the country and urged Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna to take suo motu action and direct the lower judiciary to refrain from opening doors to more disputes, reported PTI. SQR Ilyas, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) spokesperson, said such claims were a “blatant mockery” of the law and the Constitution, especially in light of the Places of Worship Act.

Ilyas said it was deeply unfortunate and shameful that, after the claims on the Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi, Shahi Eidgah in Mathura, Bhojshala mosque in Madhya Pradesh, Teele Wali Masjid in Lucknow, and the Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal, a claim was been made on the historic Ajmer dargah. Ilyas pointed out that during the Babri Masjid case, the top court not only referred to the Places of Worship Act but stated that no new claims could be entertained after its enactment. Speaking to ANI, MP Asaduddin Owaisi emphasised the rich history of the Ajmer Sharif Dargah, which has stood as a symbol of spiritual unity for over 800 years. He pointed out that the site was developed during the Mughal era under Emperor Akbar and later received contributions from the Marathas and British rulers.