New Delhi, December 22 The Supreme Court has declined to hear a petition challenging the offering of Chadar by the Prime Minister and other constitutional officials during the annual Urs at the shrine of Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti in Ajmer.
The court has clearly stated that it will set a date for hearing in the matter later. It is likely to be heard in the next meeting of the vacation bench.
This PIL has been filed in the Supreme Court by Jitendra Singh Bisen, head of the Vishwa Vedic Sanatan Sangh. The petitioners argue that the site where the Dargah is located previously housed the Sankat Mochan Mahadev Temple. Therefore, it is inappropriate for the Prime Minister or other constitutional officials to offer Chadar. Being involved in such a religious event violates the principle of government neutrality enshrined in the Constitution.
Jitendra Singh has demanded an immediate halt to the tradition of offering a chadar (a sacred offering) at the Ajmer Dargah of Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti during the Urs. However, the Supreme Court has declined to hear the matter immediately. The matter is now likely to be heard in the next sitting of the vacation bench.
Meanwhile, a case is already pending in the Ajmer Civil Court regarding this issue. Vishnu Gupta, National President of the Hindu Sena, had challenged the Prime Minister’s continued tradition of offering a chadar (a sacred offering) during the Urs. The Ajmer court heard the matter last Thursday. After hearing both sides, the court has not yet issued a final decision. The court has set January 3 for the next hearing.
It is noteworthy that every year, the Prime Minister and several other leaders offer a chadar (a sacred offering) at the Ajmer Dargah during the Urs. On Monday, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju visited the Dargah and offered a chadar on behalf of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
