Qutub Minar not a place of worship: ASI
The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) on 24 May opposed a plea before a Delhi court seeking restoration of Hindu and Jain deities inside the Qutub Minar complex, saying it is not a place of worship and the existing status of the monument cannot be altered.
The ASI pointed out that when Qutub Minar was first notified as a protected monument in 1914, the complex was not a place of worship.
The ASI explained that the form or nature of a monument is decided on the date when it comes under protection.
What is the case?
The original suit claimed that 27 temples were demolished for the construction of the Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque in the Qutub Minar complex.
The petition was dismissed last year under the provisions of the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991.
The Additional District Judge (ADJ) has now reserved the order.
The petitioner submitted that it was wrong to dismiss the original suit based on the 1991 Act.
The Qutub Minar complex comes under the purview of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (AMASR) Act of 1958.
About Qutub Minar
It is a soaring, 73 metre high victory tower, built in 1193 by Qutab-ud-din Aibak immediately after the defeat of Delhi's last Hindu kingdom.
It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Mehrauli region of South Delhi.
It is a five-storied tower made of red sandstone.
Its Surrounding there is the Alai-Darwaja Gate, a masterpiece of Indo-Muslim art (built in 1311).
Its construction was started by Qutub-ud-din Aibak in 1193 and finished by Iltutmish.
Qutub Minar and its monuments were included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1993.
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