Supreme Court Rejects Dargah’s Plea For Urs Procession Near Somnath Temple

Dwarka: The Gujarat state government's recent mega demolitions in Gir Somnath and Bet Dwarka continue to spark debate. In a similar matter, the courts have granted a status quo to the government, rejecting a plea by the Haji Mangroli Shah Dargah and its administrators to hold a religious procession in Urs near the Shree Somnath Temple and adjoining area.

Notably, the area was one of the sites demolished by the government in early January. The state government had previously carried out a demolition drive in September 2024 to remove illegal structures in the region.

In the present case, the petitioner had requested permission for the religious procession, citing a tradition spanning over 1,000 years. However, the state government opposed the plea, arguing that since no structure existed on the government land, there was no basis for holding the procession.

The Supreme Court eventually rejected the petitioner's request, ruling that the land will remain with the state government and maintaining the status quo.

A separate case is pending in the Gujarat High Court regarding another part of Bet Dwarka, where arguments have been made about whether the demolition was carried out on Kabrastan or Gauchar land.