Pune: The controversy over the remains of a Hindu temple on the premises of the Chhota Shaikhsallah Dargah premises erupted again after historian Pandurang Balkawde objected to the construction work on the historic dargah's premises, reports the newspaper DNA.
The Hajrat Khwaja Shaikh Sallahuddin Algari Nizami Chisti Rahmatullah Alahi (Chhota Shaikh Sallah Dargah) is in the process of constructing a waiting room for the kin of the deceased at the graveyard on its premises. The dargah premises is situated at 1279 Kasba Peth near Kumbhar Wada, Dengale bridge.
Balkawde said that being a member of Samajik Ekata Va Sanskruti Raksha Samiti, he had made a representation to the state home department. He also submitted memoranda to the city police and the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) in 2008.
"The place where the dargah is situated used to house a temple almost 1,000 years ago. The Gazette of Pune mentions this temple as Punyeshwar Mandir," he added.
Balkawde has requested the authorities not to allow any construction work at the site, as it would lead to finding the remains of the Hindu temple, which could create problems. Balkawde on Monday demanded that the construction work be stopped immediately and that it should be done only in the presence of archaeologists and officials of the archaeology department.
The member of the Kasba Peth Muslim Jamat Committee, Ibrahim Papamiya Attar, said the dargah was historic and 700 years old. He said that the graveyard did not have a waiting room and that was the reason for the construction.
He added that the PMC officials as well as archaeology department officials visited the site and prepared a report. However, he is unaware of the details of the report.
Meanwhile, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad's (VHP) city unit has opposed the construction at the dargah and has issued a press release threatening an agitation on the issue. VHP secretary Bhaskar Chillal and functionary Nandkishor Ekbote have stated that they had brought up these issues when the construction first started and the work was stayed. The VHP leaders have demanded setting up of a committee comprising experts and a stay on the construction work.
