Fanatics encroach on Durgadi fort in Kalyan (Thane district), where the Hindavi Swarajya navy originated !

• Shocking way that half of the fort is reserved for Namaz !

• Permanent ban on Hindus in half of fort by providing police protection to unauthorized ‘idgah’! (Idgah is a place to offer namaz on the day of Eid)

Strict action must be taken against those who allow historical forts with Hindu identity to be taken over by religious fanatics! – Editor

Thane : Half of the fort on which Chhatrapati Shivaji laid the foundation stone of the Hindavi Swarajya naval forces has now become a religious center for fanatics. The illegally constructed ‘idgah’ on this fort has been given 24 hours police protection and Hindus have been permanently barred from entering this area. In the name of maintaining ‘religious harmony’, this type of action has been taken by the all-party authorities for the last several years. The voice of the Hindus who have raised concern against the illegal ‘idgah’ on the fort have been silenced by providing police protection to the illegal activities. This fort has a unique significance as it was built by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

There is a place called ‘Idgah’ at some distance behind the temple of Shri Durgadevi on Durgadi fort. A separate road has been constructed for the religious fanatics to reach this place. A wall has been built here for ‘Eidgah’. This wall has no significance in the history of the fort.

 

Half fort permanently reserved for Namaz twice a year !

In this place Namaz is held twice a year. The government has reserved half of the fort for prayers twice a year throughout the year and it has been given 24 hours police protection. So instead of acting on the illegal construction it is extremely shocking that the all-party governments are falling over each other to appease the minorities !

Lakhs of Rupees spent for protection of illegal ‘Eidgah’ !

A 24 hour guard of the State Reserve Force has been posted on the fort to protect this illegal ‘idgah’. A few years ago, 27 policemen were stationed here. Now this number has come to 8. The government is spending lakhs of Rupees to protect the illegal Eidgah.

History of Durgadi fort built by Chhatrapati Shivaji !

The fort is built on a hill beside the Kalyan creek. In the year 1657, Chhatrapati Shivaji conquered Kalyan port from Adilshah. Kalyan was an international port at that time. After conquering the port, he built a fort here. While excavating the base of the fort, Abaji Mahadev found a buried treasure. This was considered the grace of Goddess Durga and this fort was named as Durgadi. A temple of Goddess Durga was also built on the fort. With the help of this fort, Shivaji Maharaj started the work of the first navy of Hindavi Swarajya here. History records that he hired 340 Portuguese artisans to build the naval docks. Later, the fort was repaired by Ramji Biwalkar, Subhedar of Peshwa. Thus the fort has a unique historical significance.

Hindu agitation against recitation of Namaz on the fort under the leadership of late Dharmaveer Anand Dighe!

At that time, Hindu Hriday Samrat Balasaheb Thackeray had ordered Shiv Sena leader late Dharmaveer Anand Dighe to raise his voice against illegal prayers on the fort. After that, Anand Dighe along with Shiv Sainiks performed bell ringing agitation in the temple on the fort while the Namaz was recited; However, later during the prayers, the police barred Shiv Sainiks including Anand Dighe from entering the fort. After the death of Anand Dighe, Shiv Sena leader and current Urban Development Minister Eknath Shinde took the lead in this fight.

Urban Development Minister Eknath Shinde and MP Dr. Shrikant Shinde’s initiative to repair the fort continues !

Under the initiative of the Urban Development Minister Eknath Shinde and his son MP Dr. Shrikant Shinde, the government has provided funds for the repair of the fort and the repair work of the fort is underway.

All Governments responsible for not according Durgadi fort, the center of the Swarajya Navy, the status of protected monument !

Earlier, NCP MLA Shashikant Shinde had demanded that the fort be accorded the status of ‘State Protected Monument’. MNS MLA Raju Patil has also written a letter to the government in this regard; However, the government did not accord the fort the status of a protected monument, citing the fact that the fort has only two towers left, and the original appearance of the fort is no longer apparent.

Source : Sanatan Prabhat

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Minority appeasement continues : Namaz permitted on historic Durgadi fort

27 January 2022

• Former District Collector stopped the Hindu festival and barred Hindus from half the fort!

• Even though the topic of idgah is in the courts since 48 years, the road leading there has been named as ‘idgah Marg’ !

This whole case shows how anti-Hindu the Indian system is! There is no alternative to the Hindu Rashtra if we wish to protect historical places of Hindus! – Editor

(‘Idgah’ is a place to offer prayers on the day of Eid)

Thane : There is a temple of Shri Durga Devi built by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and behind it an ‘Idgah’ (which is being claimed by religious fanatics) on the Durgadi Fort in Kalyan (Maharashtra). In the year 1968, some religious fanatics in Kalyan claimed that the ‘temple’ of Shri Durga Devi is a ‘mosque’. In the year 1970, the then Congress government ordered the District Collector of Thane to inquire into this matter. After an inquiry, a notice was issued and the decision was taken by the District Collector that the structure on the Durgadi fort is indeed a Temple. However, the district collector allowed religious fanatics to offer prayers twice a year behind the temple on the day of Eid. During that period, the police obstruct Hindus from celebrating festivals in the temple. Also, Hindus have been barred from entering half of the fort.

(If there is a temple, then there is no question of offering Namaz. Needless to say that this act of allowing namaz in the vicinity of a temple is a glaring example of minority appeasement of the government! – Editor)

It is clear from the Q&A in the legislature that there is a temple at Durgadi

MLA GB Kanitkar had questioned the state government whether the structure on Durgadi fort was a temple of Shri Durgadevi or a mosque. On March 22, 1973, the then Revenue Minister Bhausaheb Vartak had replied, “The building on Durgadi fort is a temple.” He also said that it is the tradition of Hindus to use this building as a ‘temple’. Vartak’s reply clarifies the government’s official stand on the issue.

Claim that the structure is an ‘Idgah’ continues to drag on even after 48 years!

 

The religious fanatics filed a petition in the Kalyan District Court against the decision of the District Collector of declaring the structure on Durgadi fort a temple. They have also claimed that the place at the back of the temple was an ‘Idgah’. (Cunning fanatics! – Editor)

Normally there are minarets on both sides of the Idgah wall, and space is provided for the Maulvi to stand to address the attendees. None of these are here. Hindus have also submitted photographs of Hindu festivals that have been celebrated from many yeats on Durgadi fort to the court. But even after the last 48 years, this case is languishing in the court. (While there is no concrete evidence that there is an ‘Idgah’ on the fort, and even after presenting all the evidence that only Hindu festivals are being celebrated on the fort, the case dragging on for years is a kind of injustice on the petitioners! – Editor)

Even though the subject is sub judice, fanatics have named the road beside the fort as ‘Idgah Marg’!
The issue of whether the wall on Durgadi fort is an Idgah or not is still sub judice. However, the road beside Durgadi fort has been renamed as ‘Idgah Marg’. (Lawless fanatics! – Editor) (It is the arrogance of religious fanatics to name the road ‘Idgah’ when the case is still in the courts. This is the result of minority appeasement by every government so far! – Editor)

Despite historical evidence about the temple, fanatics claim to have a mosque there!

Historical evidence of Shri Durgadevi temple on Durgadi fort dates back to the life and times of Shivaji Maharaj. In the letter written by Matbarkhan after his conquest of Kalyan in the year 1689, it is mentioned that Durgadi fort was conquered. In 1719, Ramchandra Joshi recaptured the Durgadi fort from the Mughals. It is mentioned in the history that in 1749, Vasudev Joshi, Subhedar of Kalyan, celebrated the festival of Goddess Durga on Durgadi fort. In the history of Peshwas, it is also mentioned that Vedmurti Mahadev Godbole was appointed for the worship of Goddess Durga at Durgadi fort. Despite many such references, as well as the clear architecture of the temple, fanatics claimed that the temple was a mosque. This shows the intention of fanatics to seize Hindu religious places and forts by laying claim to them.

All governments till date have held Hindus hostage on the claims of religious fanatics!

In 1968, when the religious fanatics of Kalyan laid claim on the temple in Durgadi fort, when there was no basis for it, the police imposed restrictions on the celebrations in the temple. These restrictions are still in effect. At present, on the day of Bakri Eid and Ramadan Eid, namaz is offered near the rear wall of the temple. At that time Hindus are denied entry to the temple. The police do not even allow the priest into the temple. The temple bell is also tied up! For the last 40 years, Hindus have been barred from entering half of the fort. (Had Hindus laid claim to any Masjid, the police would have prevented Hindus from entering it. Here instead of barring the religious fanatics who have raised a false claim, the police and the government are obstructing Hindus. This shows the islamic appeasement tactics of the police and politicians. It is only in India that the majority community is treated like second class citizens! – Editor)

Source : Sanatan Prabhat