Muslims perform religious rituals illegally in forest department land

Attempt to encroach the Lohgad fort base after constructing an illegal dargah on the fort !

Pune (Maharashtra) – After the illegal construction of the Dargah on Lohgad Fort, Muslims are involved in performing religious rituals illegally day and night in forest department land at the base of this fort. For the past few days, Mullas (scholars of Sharia and Islamic doctrine) and Maulavis (religious leaders of Islam) have been visiting the place and performing some rituals from dusk till dawn. Despite the opposition of local fort activists, these rituals continue.

1. Lohgad comes under the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) control. A few years ago, a green sheet was laid on a stone on this fort. Then a fakir came and sat there. A mazar (Muslim tomb) was built on the fort. For the past few years, a urus (religious event of Muslims) has been celebrated illegally by Haji Hazrat Umarshahwali Baba Dargah at this mazar.

2. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the construction of the dargah was started by building walls on all four sides of this mazar on Lohgad fort. Local fort activists have lodged complaints with ASI in this regard.

3. The urus here has been stopped for the past 2-3 years following the protests by local devout followers of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Just as a dargah was built illegally by starting religious rituals at the fort, the fear of usurping the forest department’s land by starting religious rituals at the base of the fort is being expressed by the fort activists.

Conspiracy to grab land through land jihad: Vishwanath Javalikar, Chairman, Maval Adventure Charitable Trust and Charitable Trust of Forts

For the past few days, Mulla-Maulavis have been living in the Gaymukh pass under Visapur tower on Lohgad fort. Some Muslims visit this place in the evening. Religious rituals are performed there at night. I have been there by myself and seen these things. We, the fort activists, have informed the ASI and the Forest Department to prevent this, yet these things continue. This is a conspiracy of land jihad. There is an ongoing attempt to grab this land through land jihad.

Editorial Perspectives

• Even though the fort activists have complained to the ASI and the Forest Department regarding this, they have not taken any action yet. It would not be inappropriate if someone thought that ASI and the Forest Department were colluding with Muslims.
• Devout followers of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, villagers, and Hindus should warn the relevant authorities in time and unite to stop such kind of incidents !
• On one hand, the religious fanatical Muslims perform illegal religious activities in the ancient sites of the Hindus by disregarding the ASI and the Forest Department, while on the other hand, the Hindus hold agitations and make appeals for permission to worship in the ancient temples. Such a pathetic state of affairs which tarnishes secularism is shameful for India !