New Delhi: Grand Mufti of India, Sheikh Abubakr Ahmad, has expressed deep concern over claims and legal actions targeting Masjids and Dargahs, pointing out that such moves jeopardise the nation’s secular ideals and unity. In a press release, the Grand Mufti urged political leaders, administrators, and democratic believers to take a stand in safeguarding the current status of places of worship and opposing divisive communal ideologies.
He highlighted the Ajmer Dargah, a historical centre symbolizing religious harmony and Sufi traditions, as an example of India’s diverse heritage under threat. "The recent court notice sent to the Dargah Committee, Archaeological Survey of India, and the Union Government over baseless claims of a temple beneath the Dargah will cause severe public unrest," he stated.
The Grand Mufti also emphasized that similar claims against other prominent Muslim places of worship, including the Gyanvapi Masjid, Mathura Shahi Eidgah, Sambhal Shahi Juma Masjid, and Ajmer Dargah, risk fracturing the country’s secular fabric. He called for judicial bodies and law enforcement to uphold the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, of 1991, which mandates maintaining the status quo of religious sites as of 1947.
"Such actions, if not handled with care, will fuel communal tensions and undermine the spirit of unity in the nation," he said, pointing to incidents like the recent unrest in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, as evidence of this growing threat.
The Grand Mufti appealed to all stakeholders—political parties, civil society, and the administration—to preserve India's secular ethos and unity by protecting religious institutions and fostering harmony.
