Delhi court adjourns hearing on plea to ‘restore’ 27 temples in Qutub Minar complex to May 24

An appeal suit has claimed that according to the Archaeological Survey of India 27 Hindu and Jain temples in Qutub Minar were demolished and Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque was raised inside the complex reusing the materials.

The Saket court in Delhi on Tuesday adjourned a hearing on a plea seeking restoration of an alleged temple complex on Qutub Minar premises. According to the petition, the Quwwat-Ul-Islam Masjid situated within the Qutub Minar complex in Mehrauli was built in place of a temple complex, comprising as many as 27 Hindu and Jain temples.

The appeal suit alleged that the Hindu and Jain temples were ‘dismantled’ and ‘damaged’ under the orders of Qutub-Din-Aibak, who later raised some construction at the very place of those naming it as, Quwwat-Ul-Islam Mosque. (Sanchit Khanna/HT PHOTO)

The appeal suit was filed on behalf of Jain deity Tirthankar Lord Rishabh Dev and Hindu deity Lord Vishnu, through “their next of friends”. The matter will be heard next on May 24, news agency ANI reported.

The suit said the temple complex be restored to “preserve and protect the religious and cultural heritage of India” and practice the right to religion “guaranteed by Article 25 and 26 of the Constitution of India”. It said these temples were “dismantled, desecrated and damaged under the orders…of Qutub-Din-Aibak, a commander of invader Mohammad Ghori, who established slave dynasty and raised some construction at the…very place of temples naming it as, Quwwat-Ul-Islam Mosque”.

Citing the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), the suit said 27 Hindu and Jain temples were demolished and Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque was raised inside the complex reusing the materials. It further said Lord Vishnu, Lord Shiva, Lord Ganesh, Lord Sun, Goddess Gauri, Lord Hanuman, and Jain deity Tirthankar Lord Rishab Dev be given the right to be “restored” within the temple complex at the site of the mosque.

The petitioner also urged the court to issue an injunction to the Centre to create a trust, as per the Indian Trusts Act, 1882, and hand over the management and administration of the temple complex after forming a scheme for the same 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.

The matter was taken to the Saket court after civil judge Neha Sharma on November 29, last year, rejected the appeal suit. “Nobody has denied that wrongs were committed in the past but such wrongs cannot be the basis for disturbing the peace of our present and future,” she had said.

Last week, members of two fringe right-wing groups were detained near the Qutub Minar after they assembled at the site to recite the Hanuman Chalisa, claiming the 13th Century monument was originally a Vishnu Temple. They also demanded that Qutub Minar be renamed as “Vishnu Stambh” and opened to Hindus for prayers.

Deputy commissioner of police (south) Benita Mary Jaiker said that no permission was granted for the gathering outside the Qutub Minar complex. She added that as many as 50 people participated in the stir and they belonged to the United Hindu Front and Rashtrawadi Shiv Sena.

This comes in the wake of the Allahabad high court debunking a plea to open 22 closed rooms in the Taj Mahal to ascertain the presence of Hindu idols, and the ongoing survey row of Varanasi's Gyanvapi mosque.

(With inputs from ANI)