NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court of India included the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) as a respondent in a petition concerning the protection of ancient religious structures within the Mehrauli Archaeological Park in Delhi on Monday.
The plea specifically seeks to safeguard the 14th-century Ashiq Allah Dargah, dating back to 1317 AD, and the Chillagah of Baba Farid.
The Supreme Court, led by Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Sanjay Kumar, directed the ASI and the National Monument Authority (NMA) to submit status reports on the matter. This decision came after a Special Leave Petition was filed challenging a Delhi High Court order that declined to issue specific directives for the preservation of these historic structures.
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Justice Khanna emphasised the need for clarity, stating, “They should state which monuments are old and which are recently built,” highlighting the importance of identifying and protecting heritage sites accurately. During the proceedings, senior advocate Siddharth Luthra, representing the petitioners, confirmed that the NMA is already involved in the case.
The Supreme Court has scheduled the next hearing for the week starting September 23, 2024. The ASI and NMA are permitted to visit the site and provide their reports, which may also be submitted to the relevant religious committee.
The plea before the Delhi High Court raised concerns about the potential demolition of the centuries-old Dargah by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA). This apprehension followed the DDA’s demolition of the 600-year-old Akhonji mosque in January, which sparked fears of similar actions affecting other historic sites.