Agra attorney launches a complaint, claiming there is a temple under Fatehpur Sikri Dargah

On May 10, an Agra-based attorney filed a lawsuit, stating that there is a Hindu temple on the grounds of a dargah (shrine) at Fatehpur Sikri.

Advocate Ajay Pratap Singh claims that his plea has been approved by an Agra civil court.

According to him, the nearby mosque is a component of the Goddess Kamakhya’s temple, which is located in Fatehpur Sikri in the Dargah of Salim Chishti.

The counsel claimed that the contested land was formerly the sanctum sanctorum of Goddess Kamakhya and is now within the jurisdiction of the Archaeological Survey of India.

He also disputed the notion that Akbar created Fatehpur Sikri, claiming that Baburnama contains allusions to Sikri, also known as Vijaypur Sikri, suggesting the place’s historical importance.

The lawyer cited archeological evidence, citing digs by previous Superintending Archaeologist D.B. Sharma that turned up Hindu and Jain artifacts from about the year 1000 A.D.

In addition, British officer E.B. Howell challenged the property’s designation as a mosque, describing its roof and pillars as Hindu art.

Rao Dhamdev, the ruler of Sikri, is also said to have reinforced the temple’s ancient origins by transferring the sanctified idol of Mata Kamakhya to safety in Ghazipur during the Khanwa battle, according to historical texts.

Lawyer Ajay Pratap Singh emphasized that once a building is designated as a temple, such designation cannot be revoked by the law.

Judge Mrityunjay Srivastava of a municipal court has ordered the issue of notifications in this matter.

The advocate had previously filed a lawsuit, stating that there was an idol of Lord Krishna hidden under the Jama Masjid’s steps.

The plaintiffs in the lawsuit are Aasthan Mata Kamakhya, Advocate Ajay Pratap Singh, Yogeshwar Shri Krishna Cultural Research Institute Trust, Arya Sanskriti Preservation Trust, and Kshatriya Shaktipeeth Vikas Trust.

The defendants in this case include the management committees of Jama Masjid and Dargah Salim Chishti, as well as the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board.