Ajmer dargah: Maharana Pratap Sena demands probe into claims of ancient temple
New Delhi: Maharana Pratap Sena's national president, Rajvardhan Singh Parmar will address a press conference and file a petition in court on Monday, urging authorities to examine the historical authenticity of his claim that the revered Ajmer Dargah was originally a Hindu temple.
In a press release, Parmar stated that a memorandum has already been submitted to the President of India, requesting an official investigation into the matter.
Speaking to IANS, Rajasthan state president of the Maharana Pratap Sena, Uday Lal Banjara, remarked, "Our ancestors have always told us how temples were demolished during the Mughal era and replaced with mosques or dargahs. We will present our case and abide by the decision of the court or the government."
He reiterated Parmar’s demands, stating that letters have been sent in the past to prominent leaders, including Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, BJP leader Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Home Minister Amit Shah. These letters called for a detailed investigation into the claims that the Ajmer Dargah stands on the remnants of a Shiva temple.
“We are not spreading hatred or targeting any religion or community. This is about uncovering historical truth through proper legal and archaeological methods,” Banjara clarified.
He added that the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) should investigate the site, but emphasised that the decision ultimately depends on the government.
Earlier on November 27, Hindu Sena national president Vishnu Gupta filed a petition in a civil court in Ajmer, seeking notices to the Ajmer Dargah Committee, the Union Ministry of Minority Affairs, and the ASI to investigate the site.
A group of former bureaucrats and diplomats, including former Delhi Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung also wrote to the Prime Minister, expressing concern over rising demands to investigate medieval mosques and dargahs.
They emphasised the syncretic and pluralistic traditions of India and warned against using such claims to divide communities.
Ajmer Dargah, one of the most sacred Sufi shrines in Asia, holds significance for Muslims and people of other faiths alike, symbolising India's rich heritage of unity in diversity.