UP Court orders Muslims to handover 600-year-old Dargah to Hindus
Baghpat, Uttar Pradesh: On Monday, the Baghpat District Court in Uttar Pradesh dismissed a decades-old petition filed by a group of Muslims seeking ownership of a site containing a graveyard and the dargah of Sufi saint Sheikh Badruddin Shah. Civil Judge Shivam Dwivedi, refusing to entertain the plea, issued an order directing the Muslim side to hand over the dargah to Hindus.
The dargah of Sufi saint Badruddin Shah, believed to be 600 years old, is located in Barnawa village of Baghpat district. Disputes surrounding the site began 53 years ago when a group of Hindus claimed it as the location of the 'Lakshagriha,' mentioned in the Mahabharata, a palace built by Duryodhana to burn the Pandavas to death.
In 1970, the dargah caretaker, Mukeem Khan, approached the court, alleging that a Hindu mob had trespassed inside the dargah and attempted to offer prayers. Seeking ownership of the land and legal protection against Hindu encroachment, Khan aimed to prevent desecration of graves and halt 'havan' ceremonies on the premises. The case was transferred to the Baghpat court from Meerut.
After five decades, the court's decision favored the 'Lakshagriha' claim reignited by Hindu nationalists in recent times. The court emphasized a technical loophole – whether the disputed site was designated as a 'waqf property' or a 'graveyard' in 1920, a point the Muslim side failed to establish.
Advocate Ranveer Singh Tomar, representing the respondents, stated, "We presented all the evidence of Lakshagriha in the court based on which the court rejected the petition of the Muslim side." Meanwhile, Advocate Shahid Khan, representing the petitioners, expressed their intent to move to a higher court to present their case.
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Iran foreign minister Araghchi meets Pakistan Army chief Munir
Islamabad (PTI): Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Saturday met Pakistan Army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir here, as Islamabad continued its efforts to facilitate engagement between the US and Iran.
The meeting, according to a short video posted by the Iranian embassy on social media, was also attended by Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei, and Iran's ambassador Reza Amiri Moghadam.
Araghchi calls on Munir, the embassy said in the video caption.
It did not provide further details about the discussions.
Araghchi arrived here late Friday for engagements with the Pakistani leadership. He was received by senior officials, including Munir, foreign minister Ishaq Dar and interior minister Mohsin Naqvi.
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However, there is no clarity on whether direct talks between Washington and Tehran will take place during the visit.
"No meeting is planned to take place between Iran and the US. Iran's observations would be conveyed to Pakistan," Baqaei said in a social media post on Saturday.
Araghchi, before leaving for Islamabad, said that he was embarking on a timely tour of Islamabad, Muscat, and Moscow, and the purpose of his visits is to "closely coordinate with our partners on bilateral matters and consult on regional developments".
"Our neighbours are our priority," he said.
As the Iranian team landed in Islamabad, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that US Special Envoy on the Middle East Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump's adviser Jared Kushner would be leaving for Pakistan on Saturday "to engage in direct talks" with representatives of the Iranian delegation.
However, the US team has not yet arrived.
Meanwhile, Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Dar, in a social media post, expressed hope for "meaningful engagements" between the two warring parties to promote regional peace and stability.
The first round of US-Iran talks held on April 11 and 12 failed to produce a breakthrough, prompting a flurry of diplomatic efforts by host Pakistan to cool tensions and revive hopes for another round of dialogue.
On Tuesday, Trump extended the two-week ceasefire with Iran indefinitely to give Tehran more time to prepare a unified proposal to end the war, just hours before the truce was set to expire.
The Iran war began on February 28 with US-Israeli strikes.
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