HC stays the ban on animal offerings in dargah at Vishalgad !

Mumbai High Court admonishes dargah-petitioners !

Mumbai – A ban has been imposed on the custom of animal offerings at the dargah in the Vishalgad area of Kolhapur. The trustees of the dargah had filed a petition to get a stay on the order of ban on animal offerings. Mumbai High Court has, however, denied passing the stay order. Mumbai High Court has asked the State Government to submit its reply by 5th July 2023. The Court has asked the petitioners to refrain from making it a communal issue, since permission cannot be granted for illegal animal killings in the Vishalgad area. The Court has also advised the organisers to be aware of their duty to maintain local cleanliness.

Staunch pro-Hindu organisations are purposely spoiling the atmosphere ! – Futile accusation by dargah-trustees

The ban imposed by the Administration has political connotations. This religious custom was followed for many generations in the background of Hindu-Muslim harmony, but staunch Hindu organisations like Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal, RSS, etc., are purposely spoiling the atmosphere; therefore, the Administration has imposed such a ban, accused trustees of Hajarat Peer Malik Rehan Mira Saheb dargah while filing the petition in Mumbai High Court.

As per the order issued by the Deputy Director of the Archaeology Department, there will be a ban on illegal killings of animals in the name of making offerings to God. A similar ban order has also been issued by the local Administration. (The offerings could have been made for the person in whose name the dargah is constructed, rather than in the name of God. Why did the Survey of Archaeology have to mislead by using the word ‘God’ ? – Editor)

Editorial Viewpoints

• How can an unauthorised dargah be built on a historical fort in the first place ? How were their religious programmes allowed for so many years, on such Government-protected land ? The inquiry needs to be first held into these things.

• The forts are the witnesses to the victory of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj over the Mughals. In fact, he could defeat five Mughal kingdoms through these forts; therefore, it is very shameful for Hindus to have dargah of Mughal invaders in forts.