"Secular foundations of our country being shaken": Mehbooba Mufti on Ajmer Dargah row

Jammu (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], November 29 (ANI): Amid the ongoing controversy surrounding the Ajmer Dargah, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti on Friday said that the "secular foundations of the country are being shaken" and that a "Hindu-Muslim rift is being created."
"A decision was made that a survey could be conducted at any place that is in doubt. The 1991 Supreme Court decision states that the status of a religious place as it was in 1947 cannot be changed. Unfortunately, the former Chief Justice gave a decision which led to the search for Shivlings in mosques, and now these searches are also being conducted in shrines, places like Ajmer Sharif, which is 800 years old and attracts more Hindu visitors than Muslims," Mufti told the media.
The PDP chief was referring to former Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, who in October this year had said he "prayed to God for a solution to the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute."
Mufti expressed concern that the country is being pushed toward violence and blamed the former CJI for the current situation.
"Soon, they may start searching houses of Muslims. They are taking the country towards partition and violence like in 1947. The secular foundations of our country are being shaken. They are creating a Hindu-Muslim rift, and the ex-Chief Justice has played a very bad role in this," she added.
Earlier, a Rajasthan court on Wednesday issued notices to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), the Union Ministry of Minority Affairs, and the Ajmer Dargah chief in a petition claiming that the Ajmer Dargah is on a temple.
"A local court in Ajmer directed that notice be issued to three parties in a civil suit that claims that there is a Shiva temple in the dargah of Sufi saint Moinuddin Chishti in Ajmer," the plaintiff's advocate had said.
Advocate Yogesh Siroja told reporters in Ajmer that the suit was heard in the court of Civil Judge Manmohan Chandel.
"The concerned parties have been issued notices; one is the Dargah Committee, the ASI, and the third is the Ministry of Minority Affairs. I am a descendant of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishty, but I have not been made party to it... We are in touch with our legal team," he added.
Syed Naseruddin Chishty, Chairman of the All India Sufi Sajjadanashin Council, criticised the rise in incidents where various groups are staking claim to mosques and dargahs.
"These incidents are on the rise in the country. Every second day we see groups claiming mosques and dargahs. This is not in the interest of our society and country. Today, India is becoming a global power. Till when will we remain stuck in the temple and mosque controversy?" he said. (ANI)