Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has ignited controversy by announcing his intent to “liberate” the 700-year-old Haji Malang dargah, a historic Muslim shrine situated on the outskirts of Mumbai, exclusively for Hindus. The shrine, known for its Sufi heritage and cultural significance, has become the focal point of a heated religious dispute.

After the inauguration of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has invoked a significant amount of “divine” support from his followers for upcoming elections. The next target to double the effect is the Sufi shrine. This is aimed to polarize the voters even more.

CM Shinde while speaking at the annual Malang-gad Harinam Mahotsav in Thane distinct, broke away from the late Bal Thackeray’s Shiv Sena to lead a BJP-backed coalition, said he is “committed to liberate Malang-gad”, adding he would not rest till he has fulfilled the promise.

Malang-gad (’gad’ means a fort in Marathi) is famous for its 12th-century shrine of Sufi saint Haji Abdul Rahman, popularly known as ‘Haji Malang’. According to Kashmir Media Service, Haji Malang dargah, atop a hill, is believed to house the tomb of an Arab missionary who arrived in India over seven centuries ago. On the contrary, Hindus believe the place holds the samadhi of Machindranath, a revered deity in the Nathpanthi sect, which was later converted into a dargah.

An article published in The Times of India on Feb 14, 1993 reveals the arrest of Thane’s top Shiv Sena leader late Anand Dighe while leading an agitation demanding the renaming of Malang-gad as Shri Malang. Dighe was Mr Shinde’s mentor and the promise to liberate Malang-gad is a logical political move on the chief minister’s part to claim his master’s legacy, quotes Dawn.

Nasir Khan, chairman of the Peer Haji Malang Saheb Trust, refers to the Gazetteer of Bombay Presidency which mentions the structure as the shrine built in honour of Arab missionary Haji Abd-ul-Rahman. “It is only in the 1980s that the Shiv Sena began making claims of it being a Hindu temple. If it was a Hindu temple, why did the Peshwa kings send gifts to the shrine?” asks Mr Khan.
According to the chairman of the Trust, Haji Malang is equally revered by Hindu and Muslims. He says that even Christians and Parsis visit the shrine to seek blessings.