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Qutub Minar is Not a Place of Worship, Existing Status Can’t be Altered: ASI tells Delhi Court
Qutub Minar is not a place of worship and alteration of the existing structure is not permissible, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) told a Delhi court.
New Delhi: The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) on Tuesday told a Delhi court that Qutub Minar is not a place of worship and alteration of the existing structure is not permissible. The ASI’s statement came as the Delhi Court heard a petition claiming the monument has pictures of deities suggesting the Hindu origin of the building. The plea sought permission to worship the deities.
ASI said the revival of worship is not allowed. It added no community worshipped at Qutub Minar or any of its parts since the time it has been a protected monument even as there are a number of structures within the complex. As per ASI, it will be contrary to the provisions of the AMASR Act, 1958 to agree to the contention of any person claiming a fundamental right to worship in this centrally protected monument. “Fundamental right cannot be availed in violation of any status of the land. The basic principle of protection /conservation is not to allow starting of any new practice in a monument declared and notified as a protected one under the Act. Revival of worship is not allowed wherever it is not practiced at the time of protection of a monument.”
The petition was filed before a district court in Delhi on behalf of Jain deity Tirthankar Rishabh Dev and Hindu god Vishnu by advocates Hari Shankar Jain and Ranjana Agnihotri. The petition cites a short history purportedly displayed by ASI which, according to the plea, narrates how 27 temples were demolished by Qutubdin Aibak, a general in Mohamad Ghori’s army, and the Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque was raised by reusing the material.
“The suit was filed to preserve and protect the religious and cultural heritage of India and to exercise the right to religion guaranteed by Article 25 and 26 of the Constitution of India by restoring 27 Hindu and Jain temples with respective deities which were dismantled, desecrated and damaged under the command and orders of Qutub-Din-Aibak, a commander of invader Mohammad Ghori, who established slave dynasty and raised some construction at the same very place of temples naming it as, Quwwat-Ul-Islam Mosque,” the plea said.
It claimed that according to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) 27 Hindu and Jain temples were demolished and Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque was raised inside the complex reusing the materials and seeking to “restore” the demolished temples.
The suit sought to declare that Lord Vishnu, Lord Shiva, Lord Ganesh, Lord Sun, Goddess Gauri, Lord Hanuman, Jain deity Tirthankar Lord Rishab Dev have the right to be “restored” within the temple complex at the site of Quwwatul Mosque Complex, Mehrauli, south-west Delhi “after rebuilding it with the same honour and dignity”.
It also sought to issue an injunction directing the Central government to create a trust, according to the Trust Act 1882, and hand over the management and administration of the temple complex situated within the area of Qutub Complex in Mehrauli after framing a scheme of the administration to such trust.
“Pass a decree in the nature of a permanent injunction, restraining the defendants permanently from interfering in making necessary repair works, raising construction and making arrangement for the pooja, darshan and worship of deities in accordance with Sections 16 and 19 of ‘The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958’ by a trust, to be created by the Central government within the area,” the suit said.
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