Amid claims by the Hindu Sena that a Shiva temple existed on the site of Ajmer Dargah, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday presented a 'chadar' to the shrine of sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti.
Sharing a picture of him presenting the 'chadar' to Minorities Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju to be offered on his behalf at the shrine on the occasion of 'Urs', PM Modi wrote on X, "Greetings on the Urs of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti. May this occasion bring happiness and peace into everyone's lives."
Sharing a picture of Modi giving a chadar to him and BJP's minority morcha president Jamal Siddiqui, Rijiju said on X, "This gesture reflects his deep respect for India's rich spiritual heritage and the enduring message of harmony and compassion."
'Urs' is held annually at the shrine of the sufi saint to commemorate his death anniversary.
Though PM Modi has been following the tradition of presenting the 'chadar' to Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti's shrine, his party has come under fire recently for making claims regarding the ownership of the structure.
Vishnu Gupta, the national president of Hindu Sena, had approached a Rajasthan court seeking to declare the Ajmer Dargah as a Shiv temple. The court, in November last year, agreed to hear the matter and directed summon notices to be issued to the Dargah Committee, the Ministry of Minority Affairs, and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
Opposition parties including the Congress has criticised the BJP for making claims on the dargah.
Former Rajasthan chief minister and Congress leader Ashok Gehlot had pointed out that when PM Modi offered 'chadar' at the Ajmer Dargah members of his party were "going to court and creating confusion."
“People from all over the country offer prayers at the Ajmer Dargah... Even all the Prime Ministers, including PM Modi, offer 'chadar' at the Ajmer Dargah. They are offering 'chadar,' yet members of their party are going to court and creating confusion. What kind of message is being spread? Where there is unrest, there can't be development,” he asked.
(With inputs from PTI)