A petition has sparked debate by claiming that the Ajmer Sharif Dargah, a renowned Sufi shrine in Rajasthan, was originally a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. The petitioner, Vishnu Gupta, president of the Hindu Sena, has requested the Rajasthan court to order an archaeological survey to verify this claim. The plea also seeks the site to be renamed as “Sankat Mochan Mahadev Temple” and demands Hindu worship rights there.

The Rajasthan lower court has accepted the petition and issued notices to the Ajmer Dargah Committee, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), and the Ministry of Minority Affairs. These entities are expected to respond by December 20, when the next hearing is scheduled. The matter has drawn attention to the Places of Worship Act, 1991, which preserves the religious status of sites as they were on August 15, 1947, barring exceptions like Ayodhya. Critics argue that reopening such disputes could create nationwide unrest.

Political reactions have been sharp. AAP MP Sanjay Singh criticized the move as divisive and called for Supreme Court intervention to uphold the Places of Worship Act. This case follows similar controversies, including disputes over mosques in other parts of India, intensifying debates about the preservation of secularism and historical integrity.

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