Dargah, Mosque, or just an illegal structure? What is the shrine of Salar Masud, where some Hindu activists climbed during Ram Navami procession, police statement gives interesting twist
On the occasion of Ram Navami (6th April), some of the activists of Maharaja Suheldev Samman Suraksha Manch (MSSSM) climbed atop the Dargah of Syed Salar Masud Ghazi and waved saffron flags in the Baharia area of Prayagraj. The Islamo-leftists have found a golden opportunity to peddle their ‘minority khatre mein hai’ narrative simply because the Hindu activists decided not to accept the sanctity of a shrine dedicated to a long-dead Islamic tyrant and plunderer, who destroyed Hindu temples, forcibly converted Hindus to Islam and looted wealth.
In their desperation to villainise Hindus for not being tolerant enough to let a Dargah named after a Hindu-hating Islamic fanatic exist, the Islamists on social media claim that the alleged shrine wherein the MSSSM activists waved saffron flags is a mosque.
Taking to X, crowdfunding scam accused propagandist Rana Ayyub claimed that ‘Hindu nationalists’ climbed on top of a “mosque” in Uttar Pradesh. Ayyub calls herself a ‘journalist’; however, she did not care to get her facts straight, that the structure the Hindu men climbed atop is not a mosque but a Dargah, that too of a dead Islamic fanatic who killed Hindus and destroyed their temples, including the Somnath Temple.
Similarly, Aasif Mujtaba, the co-conspirator of Sharjeel Imam, one of the Islamists who orchestrated the onslaught against Hindus during the Delhi anti-Hindu riots of 2020, took to X and claimed that the religious structure in question is a mosque. “From the provocative slogans & dance in front of Masjid to forceful hoisting of bhagwa flag on the mosque, the same story is being repeated for decades. Will state police take strict action against these goons?” Mujtaba posted.
One Zayd Malik invoked the ‘Islamophobia’ card and claimed, “On Ramnavami extremist Hindus created a lot of ruckus by climbing on the roof of Salar Masood Ghazi’s dargah. This has become a routine. Hindu extremists Climbing in roof of Mosque, Dargah and waving Hindutva flag.”
Meanwhile, one Dr. Medusa, who chooses to remain conspicuously silent when Islamist mobs attack Hindu procession for simply having entered ‘Muslim area’ or when Muslim mobs dance and raise inflammatory slogans in front of Hindu temples, asserted that for Hindus, their festivities are incomplete without mosques.
“Maine kaha tha na? Masjid nahi hoga to inke tyohaar kahan manaane jayenge? [Didn’t I say it? If there will be no mosques, where will their (Hindus) festivals be celebrated?], Medusa posted.
Is the structure dedicated to Salar Masud in Prayagraj a mosque?
While the Islamists are suggesting that ‘Hindu nationalists’ or ‘Hindutva goons’ climbed atop a “mosque”, in reality, it is not a mosque but a shrine named after Ghazi Syed Salar Masud. It is not even his grave or mazar. Masud’s original grave is in Bahraich, where he was slain by Hindu warrior king Maharaja Suheldev in the fierce Battle of Bahraich in 1034 CE near Chittaura Lake. The structure in Prayagraj was constructed much later and has no direct historical connection with Salar Masud. In simple words, it is a fake shrine with no historical context or relevance, although the existence of such shrines dedicated to those who persecuted Hindus demonstrates that present-day Islamists continue to revere and draw inspiration from long-dead foreign Islamic invaders.
While Salar Masud’s original ‘grave’ is situated in Baharaich, several shrines named after him are built in different parts of Uttar Pradesh, including Bhadohi, Muzaffarangar and Prayagraj.
Who was Syed Salar Masud?
Ghazi Syed Salar Masud was the nephew of barbaric invader Mahmud of Ghaznavi. He was an Islamic fanatic and an infamous plunderer who deserves condemnation and not garlands and hushed reverence. Islamists eulogize Ghazi Salar Masud as a “martyr” who died fighting the “kafirs”. The fact is that Salar Masud was a fanatic who, under the tutelage of his uncle, Mahmud of Ghaznavi, took pleasure in the rampant massacre of Hindus. In his lifetime in the 11th century, Salar Masud carried out mass conversions and executions of Hindus. According to Mirat-i-Masudi, Salar Masud plundered and destroyed Hindu temples and Mutts, including the sacred Suraj Kund at Bahraich, as he went ahead to conquer various parts of India until Raja Suheldev finally halted his advent. It is said that Salar Masud wanted to build a mosque over the rubble of the Sun temple in Bahraich, however, his dream remained unfulfilled as King Suheldev killed him.
In 1026 CE, during the destruction of the famous Somnath Temple, Mahmud of Ghaznavi was accompanied by his 11-year-old nephew Syed Salar Masud. After the death of Mahmud Ghaznavi, Masud invaded India in May 1031 CE with a 100,000-strong army. He had imbibed the fanaticism and barbarism of his uncle.
Interestingly, Salar Masud’s anti-Hindu credentials have already undergone a phase of whitewashing, as the long-dead Hindu-hater and plunderer’s image has been transformed into that of a righteous and truthful ‘Sufi saint’. His original dargah in Bahraich holds annual Urs and attracts visitors from Muslim, Hindu and Sikh communities who offer prayers and seek ‘Mannat’ here while remaining oblivious to the bloodied history and anti-Hindu deeds of Salar Masud Ghazi.
What was the precursor to the incident of Hindu activists climbing atop the Dargah named after Salar Masud?
Maharaja Suheldev Suraksha Samman Manch’s activists have long been raising the demand to raze the so-called Dargah in Prayagraj’s Sikandra town in the Baharia Block. The Hindu activists have alleged that the dargah in question is constructed illegally. Manendra Pratap Singh, the former Karni Sena leader, stressed that there should be no place for the dargah of foreign Islamic invaders and demanded that the shrine in question be demolished.
At the said Dargah of Salar Masud, a Roza fair is held in which Hindus and Muslims come. The dispute started on 23rd March, when the police locked the dargah on behalf of Roza Mela Committee President Safdar Javed. However, in the evening, Javed issued a statement that the lock was put on due to repair work. The lock was opened the next day on 24th March, and later people started coming there. However, on 30th March, the day of the fair, barricading was done again and a police force was deployed. Moreover, the Mela was also not organised.
On Sunday, Maharaja Suheldev Samman Suraksha Manch activists, led by Manendra Pratap Singh, reached the dargah with saffron flags and started raising slogans. Some of them climbed the dome of the main gate of the dargah and started waving saffron flags.
In an interesting revelation, the Prayagraj Police has issued a statement saying that the Dargah of Salar Masud had Samadhis of 5 Hindus. In his statement, DCP Kuldeep Singh Gunawat did not even mention Salar Masud or Ghazi Miyan; rather, he said that the site in question has graves of 5 Hindus, including those of Bade Purush Parihar, Jodha Parihar, Sati, Baba Bairana, Pehru Baba, among others. He added that the ‘dargah’ is mostly visited by Hindus, while some Muslims also come here.
The officer further stated that Departmental action is being initiated against local police officials for negligence and further investigation in the matter is underway.
News