‘Shiva temple’: Hindutva group’s fresh claim on Muslim institution
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Saharanpur: Hindutva groups claimed that a Shiva temple once stood at the site of the renowned Islamic seminary Darul Uloom Deoband in Uttar Pradesh, without producing any official evidence to substantiate the claim.
Members of the right-wing outfit Hindu Raksha Dal organised a protest at the district headquarters in Saharanpur and submitted a memorandum demanding an investigation into the claim. Videos circulating on social media showed protesters raising slogans asserting that the land belonged to an ancient Hindu religious site and calling for its “reclamation”.
The organisation contends that the area was historically known as “Dev Van”, or the forest of gods, before the establishment of the Islamic educational centre. Protest leaders alleged that a Shiva temple remains buried nearly 14 feet beneath the Darul Uloom campus and demanded what they described as a transparent and impartial inquiry into the matter.
Leading the campaign, Hindu Raksha Dal functionary Lalit Sharma urged authorities to initiate an administrative investigation under judicial supervision and indicated that the group would seek legal remedies to press its demand. The organisation has also called for a scientific survey involving archaeological experts and relevant government agencies to examine the site.
The claims come amid a broader pattern of attempts by Hindutva groups across India to challenge the historical status of Muslim religious and educational institutions through assertions of pre-existing Hindu structures. In the case of Darul Uloom Deoband, however, the allegations remain unverified.
No official evidence supporting the existence of a buried temple has been presented by the organisation so far. Authorities have neither announced an inquiry nor indicated that any archaeological examination is under consideration. Despite the absence of corroborating proof, the campaign has added another communal flashpoint around one of South Asia’s most influential Islamic seminaries.
