There was a huge commotion in Vishalgarh, Kolhapur, Maharashtra on Sunday. An appeal was being made on social media for the past several days to remove the encroachment on a dargah located in Vishalgarh and July 14 was fixed as the day. Apart from this today Chhatrapati Sambhaji Raje also went to Vishalgarh Dargah along with his workers. Meanwhile, people from other Hindu organizations also arrived in large numbers, some of whom mischievous elements tried to spoil the atmosphere. In no time the situation deteriorated to such an extent that stone pelting started. Stones were pelted from the other side, shops were vandalized and arson was attempted. At present, a large number of police forces have been deployed at the scene. Efforts are being made to control the situation.
Vishalgarh fort itself has the dargah of Hazrat Syed Malik Rehan Mir Sahib. The population settled at Vishalgarh Fort is mostly Muslim. It is alleged that there has been an alleged encroachment near the shrine. Illegal constructions are taking place here. Meat business runs smoothly in these illegal constructions.
What is the controversy and what is the history of the fort?
Vishalgarh is the fort where Chhatrapati Shivaji reached after escaping from the trap of Adilshahi army of Bijapur. Commander Siddhi Masood wanted to kill him. Maratha warriors Baji Prabhu and Fulji Prabhu fought at Pawankhind on 13 July 1660 to help the king reach Vishalgarh safely. To mark the 364th year of the war, the entire Hindu community and loyalists and worshipers of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj have decided to protest against the ‘illegal encroachment’ of the fort, which they say is tampering with history.
People from the Hindu community are demanding removal of illegal encroachments from the fort and restoration of the original heritage of the fort. Shirish More, the 11th ancestor of the current Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj and an activist of the great Maharashtrian saint Tukaram Maharaj, has been constantly speaking out against it, as he said that the fort had been subject to large-scale illegal construction and encroachment over the years, but has recently increased over the years. This has led to the desecration of around 24 Hindu temples and structures located on the fort since the 17th century.
A mostly Muslim population at the fort
It is believed that the population settled in the Vishalgarh fort, most of whom are Muslims, are involved in the alleged illegal encroachment, construction or illegal expansion of the mosque. The population there has also built illegal sheds over the years, which has further fueled the business of slaughtering poultry and cattle. The place where the dargah was earlier was a very small space, which has now been expanded to more than a thousand square feet.
Protesters from the Hindu community say the expansion of the mosque behind the dargah has been done without state permission, hence it is illegal. It may be mentioned that the total area of the fort is 58,000 square feet as per government documents. Reportedly, most of the encroachments took place around the Malik Rehan Baba Dargah and Masjid.
These instructions were given by the Department of Archaeology
In December 2022, the state archeology department issued orders to the people of the minority community to demolish their illegal structures. The department directed people to demolish their structures within 30 days of receiving the order. The aggrieved persons then approached the High Court and challenged the demolition order, claiming that their structures were built before the fort was declared a protected monument in 1999. Consequently, the relevant sections of the Maharashtra Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1960 cannot apply to them.
Ban on demolition orders in 2023
The Bombay High Court stayed the demolition order in February 2023. A division bench of Justice Gautam Patel and Justice Neela Gokhale, while hearing the plea of Ayub Kagdi and six others, said that the people claiming to be in possession of small plots inside the Vishalgarh fort in Kolhapur district have lived there for 30 to 60 years. The year when the land occupied by one of them was regularized in 1983. Proposals for regularization of constructions were pending before the government.
Unlike dargahs, temples are in poor condition.
Vishalgarh Fort had a total of 55 ancient temples, but today only 20 to 24 Hindu structures and temples remain. However, they are in very poor condition. All others are extinct.
