Qutub Minar is not a place of worship and alteration of the existing structure is not permissible, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) on Tuesday told a Delhi court hearing a petition claiming the monument has pictures of deities suggesting the Hindu origin of the building. The plea sought permission to worship the deities.
ASI said the revival of worship is not allowed. It added no community has worshipped at Qutub Minar or any of its parts since the time it has been a protected monument even as there are a number of structures within the complex.
“Fundamental right cannot be availed in violation of any status of the land. The basic principle of protection/conservation is not to allow starting of any new practice in a monument declared and notified as a protected one,” ASI told the court.
ASI told the court.
The plea was filed on behalf of Jain deity Tirthankar Rishabh Dev and Hindu god Vishnu by advocates Hari Shankar Jain and Ranjana Agnihotri. The petition cites a short history purportedly displayed by ASI which, according to the plea, narrates how 27 temples were demolished by Qutubdin Aibak, a general in Mohamad Ghori’s army, and the Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque was raised by reusing the material.
