Stop Land Jihad, Free Vishalgarh Fort from growing Islamic encroachment : Hindu Activists

Kolhapur – On 7^th July, Hindutva activists from various Hindu Organisations took to the streets in heavy rain, demanding that Vishalgarh Fort be freed from Islamic encroachment immediately. After the Maha-aarti, a petition was filed in the Court regarding Vishalgarh’s encroachment and it has been demanded that the Judiciary and Administration hear it speedily and resolve the row. Speaking on this occasion, the 11^th descendant of Jagatguru Sant Tukaram Maharaj, Shirish Maharaj More said that, “There are almost 156 unauthorized encroachments on the Fort. It has a three storied mosque as well as encroachment of the Malik Rehan Dargah. When the Fort is under the Archaeology Department and even if one wants to move one stone of Rajgad on Raigad, the Shiva devotees have to take a thousand permits. Then how did these encroachments happen ? On behalf of the entire Hindu community, we demand from the Government that all these encroachments be demolished immediately”.

President of Rashtriya Shri Ram Sangh, Sagarbhaiyya Beg demanded that the Government give an account of the Rs 800 crore fund given to the committee for the conservation of Forts and that the committee remove all the  encroachments on all the Forts.

Most of the Forts are related to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and the Hindu Maratha Dynasty. But Islamic forces have been occupying such areas of historical Forts under a cynic ‘Land Jihad’ perpetration. These historical  Forts accommodate many ancient Hindu temples, but those have been targeted by the land mafias and Waqf agents.

(Courtesy : hinduexistence.org, 7.7.2024)

The Kolhapur District administration on 15^th July evening began removing illegal encroachments from Vishalgarh Fort in Kolhapur, amidst heavy Police presence. According to officials, by the evening, the administration had demolished around 35 stores.

The administration responded to protests organised by Sambhajiraje Chhatrapati, a former Rajya Sabha MP and descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Following the protest, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde arrived in Kolhapur after midnight on 14^th July. He presumably asked the Kolhapur District administration to clear encroachments from the Fort, which is around 70 kilometers from Kolhapur. The Fort is located in the Shahuwadi Taluka of the District.

“The administration has started removing encroachments from Vishalgarh. However, attempts are being made to give it a communal colour. The first few encroachments which have been removed belong to Hindu community members”, Sambhajiraje clarified while talking to reporters in Kolhapur.