Junagadh civic body issues public notice for removal of dargah, graves, parts of temple within Uparkot Fort in 3 days
The notice states that the fort is a “state-protected monument” and the removal of the alleged unauthorised structures is required following a notification of the state sports, youth, and cultural activities department for the proposed development of the area.
The notice states that the fort is a “state-protected monument” (File) Even as a petition seeking the Gujarat High Court’s direction to Junagadh civic officials to not demolish the dargah, graves, and other religious structures situated in the Uparkot Fort area of the city remains pending, city officials Friday issued public notices stating that they will remove alleged illegal encroachments inside the fort on the fourth day if the same were not removed within three days, that is by 11:59 pm Monday.
The notice states that the fort is a “state-protected monument” and the removal of the alleged unauthorised structures is required following a notification of the state sports, youth, and cultural activities department for the proposed development of the area.
Among the alleged unauthorised structures listed in the notice are graves, a dargah, a dairy shop, and parts of a Khodiyar Mata temple.
Notably, the Gujarat government in October 2019 had invited objections and suggestions within a period of two months for the proposal to denotify the fort as a protected monument and, subsequently, recorded that no objections or suggestions were received. In a notification dated March 6, 2020, the sports, youth, and cultural activities department declared the Uparkot Fort wall and gates as no longer a protected monument as defined under the Gujarat Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act. The notification specified that the monument was not used for religious purposes.
Earlier this month, Samasth Muslim Samaj Trust through its trustee moved the Gujarat HC, highlighting that the fort includes several places of religious importance such as a masjid called Jumma Masjid, a tomb of Nuri Shah located near the mosque, two wells and Buddhist caves, other old temples, dargah, and graves. It was submitted that “under the guise of beautification” of the Narsinh Mehta Lake, which is located around two kilometres from the fort, and on whose banks a 100-year-old dargah named Jangalshah Pir Dargah and graves were situated, notices were issued by the town planner under the Gujarat Provincial Municipal Corporation Act to remove the ‘encroachments’ around the lake. The dargah was demolished on April 13 and at the time it was conveyed to the petitioner that the “dargahs, graves and temples in the fort will also be demolished in view of the restoration and development project for the Uparkot Fort.”
On May 4, Justice Niral Mehta of the Gujarat HC issued a notice to the respondent state and Junagadh Municipal Corporation officials, with the authorities expected to respond to the contentions raised in the petition by July 25 when the Court is scheduled to take up the matter next.
The public notices issued by the authorities Friday came even as the matter is sub-judice before the Gujarat HC owing to the petition.
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