After litigations won the Hindus right to build a Ram temple in Ayodhya, and with Kashi-Mathura too fighting the legal battle of faith, the spotlight is now on the national capital, as a petition has been filed in the Saket court seeking ‘right to worship’ in Delhi’s iconic Qutub Minar.
The case filed in the Saket district court seeks restoration of Hindu and Jain deities, and the right to worship within the Qutub Minar complex in Mehrauli. It is claimed that a temple complex existed inside the complex before the invasions.
The lawsuit prayed for the declaration of principal deity Tirthankar Lord Rishabh Dev and principal deity Lord Vishnu, along with Lord Ganesha, Lord Shiva, Goddess Gauri, God Surya, Lord Hanuman, including presiding deities of 27 temples who have the right to be restored and worshipped with proper rites and rituals.
The plea further sought the issuance of a mandatory injunction and directed the central government to create a trust, as per Trust Act 1882, and hand over the management and administration of the temple complex that’s situated within the Qutub complex.
“Decree be passed in the nature of mandatory injunction, directing the Trust, to be created by the Central Government, to manage the affairs of 27 Hindu and Jain temples with Iron Pillar, in accordance with the scheme of administration framed by the Central Government, situated within the area of Qutub Complex. Decree be passed in the nature of permanent injunction, restraining the defendants (Centre and ASI) permanently from interfering in making necessary repair works, raising construction and making arrangements for ‘pooja’, ‘darshan’ and worship of deities,” the suit said.
A 13th century structure, the Qutub complex is a UNESCO World Heritage site. As per documented history, the monument was built over the ruins of Lal Kot, the citadel of Dhillika, erstwhile Delhi before the Delhi Sultanate took over the reins here.
It’s alleged that Qutub-ud-din Aibak dismantled the temples and constructed the Minar inside the complex.
Source: Times Now
