Where are we taking the country: Sibal after 'Shiva temple in dargah claim'

A day after a court in Ajmer issued notices in a civil suit claiming that there is a Shiva temple in the dargah of Sufi saint Moinuddin Chishti, Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Thursday termed the development as "worrisome" and wondered where the country was being taken for political dividends.

A local court in Ajmer on Wednesday directed that notice be issued to three parties in a civil suit which claims there is a Shiva temple in the dargah, the plaintiff's advocate said.

In a post on X, Sibal said, "Worrisome. The latest claim: Shiv Temple at Ajmer Dargah. Where are we taking this country? And why? For political dividends!"  Advocate Yogesh Siroja told reporters in Ajmer that the suit was heard in the court of Civil Judge Manmohan Chandel.

The suit, claiming there is a Shiva temple in the dargah, was filed in September seeking directions to start the worship in the temple again.

He said notices have been issued to Ajmer Dargah Committee, Ministry of Minority Affairs and Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) office in New Delhi seeking their response.

Plaintiff Vishnu Gupta said, "Our demand was that the Ajmer dargah should be declared as Sankat Mochan Mahadev Temple and if the dargah has any kind of registration, then it should be cancelled. Its survey should be done through ASI and Hindus should be given the right to worship there."  The next hearing is on December 20.

The development takes place close on the heels of violence that took place in Sambhal in Uttar Pradesh killing four people and injuring many, including policemen, when a local court ordered a survey of a mosque which petitioners said was built after destroying an old temple.