Muslim Network TV—May 8, 20260
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Worshippers accuse authorities of blocking prayers and fueling new dispute around centuries-old Sufi site in Indian capital
NEW DELHI, India (MNTV) — Muslims in India’s capital have accused authorities of restricting religious practices at a historic Sufi shrine in Delhi, triggering fresh concerns over growing pressure on Islamic religious sites under increasingly polarized political conditions.
The allegations emerged during the annual Sufi commemoration festival, known as Urs, at the shrine of Hazrat Khwaja Sultan Gauri in Mahipalpur, a neighborhood in southwestern Delhi near the Vasant Kunj area.
The shrine, associated with centuries-old Sufi traditions, has historically attracted both Muslims and followers of other faiths, reflecting Delhi’s long-standing syncretic culture often described in India as “Ganga-Jamuni” heritage — a blend of Hindu and Muslim cultural traditions.
However, worshippers said this year’s gathering was marked by heavy restrictions, forced dispersal of visitors, and alleged attempts to prevent Muslims from offering prayers at the site.
According to local Urdu daily Inquilab, visitors claimed officials linked to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), the federal agency responsible for protected heritage sites, imposed unusually strict controls during the religious event.
Attendees said people were not allowed to remain at the shrine after reciting prayers and were allegedly prevented from offering Maghrib, the evening Islamic prayer traditionally performed there during the Urs observance.
Visitors further alleged that authorities quickly emptied the shrine premises and shut the main entrance immediately after prayers.
When worshippers questioned security staff about why pilgrims visiting only once a year were being stopped from praying, a guard allegedly replied that he was “following orders” and claimed instructions had come “from above” not to allow prayers at the site.
According to attendees, the same guard also claimed that a temple had previously existed at the location — remarks that alarmed worshippers who accused authorities and right-wing elements of attempting to create a new religious dispute around the shrine.
In recent years, several mosques and Muslim religious sites across India have become subjects of legal and political campaigns by Hindu extremist groups claiming such locations were originally Hindu temples.
Analysts say those campaigns have intensified under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), contributing to growing anxiety among Muslims over the future of historic Islamic sites.
Pilgrims at the Delhi shrine also alleged that swastika symbols — associated in the current Indian political climate with Hindu nationalist imagery despite their older religious origins — had been drawn near the shrine’s entrance by unidentified individuals.
They claimed officials present at the site showed little concern after objections were raised.
Local residents further alleged that restrictions specifically target Islamic practices at monuments managed by the Archaeological Survey of India, while other activities at such locations face little scrutiny.
Some also complained that visitors engaging in inappropriate behavior near the shrine are often ignored by security staff, while Muslims gathering for prayers face immediate intervention.
Worshippers said the atmosphere at the shrine has changed significantly over the past three years, alleging that idols had also appeared at the site during that period.
The controversy comes amid broader debates in India over religious freedom, minority rights, and access to Islamic places of worship, particularly as disputes over mosques and shrines increasingly enter political and legal arenas.
source https://www.muslimnetwork.tv/muslims-restricted-from-prayer-at-historic-delhi-shrine/