Ajmer dargah khadims condemn supporters of Waqf Amendment Bill

Jaipur: Anjuman, the principal body of khadims (caretakers) of Ajmer dargah, has issued a condemnation against its members who expressed support for the Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024, labelling them as “non-state actors” acting against the interests of Muslims.

The rebuke follows an article by Khadim Salman Chishti endorsing the bill as “progressive” for the Muslim community.

The controversy intensified when Union minister Kiren Rijiju shared the article, describing it as “insightful”.

Responding to this, Anjuman Secretary Sarwar Chishti said Salman is one among the 5,000 khadims serving at the dargah.

“The body of khadims had passed a resolution condemning the bill. Salman Chisti, in his capacity as a khadim, cannot take a line against that resolution. He has misused the name of khadims,” Chishti said.

“He is presenting himself as ‘dargah chief’ in media interactions. He is not the chief of the dargah, but a khadim. I have no problem with him supporting the bill in his individual capacity but he cannot take a line against the resolution we passed, while presenting himself as the dargah chief,” Chishti said.

The Anjuman secretary also criticised Nasiruddin, son of Dargah Diwan Zainul Abedin Ali Khan, for supporting the bill.

“They are non-state actors, acting against the collective interests of the Muslim community across the country,” Chisti reiterated.