On Friday (6th June), the Supreme Court refused to grant urgent hearing on a petition challenging the Bombay High Court order that allowed animal slaughter to be carried out at a Dargah inside the Vishalgadh Fort in Kolhapur on the occasion of Bakrid.
The petitioner argued that the Vishalgadh Fort is a protected monument and sought an urgent hearing on the matter as Bakrid is on 7th June. However, the bench comprising Justices Sanjay Karol and Justice Satish Chandra Sharma denied the request.
“In protected monuments, so many religious activities are going on,” Justice Karol said and also questioned the urgency in the matter.
Justice Karol added that just like last year, permission was granted for animal sacrifice on Bakrid at Dargah premises inside Vishalgadh Fort, it will be the same this time as well.
“It will be like last year only. We are sure High Court has considered this. I am telling you, be it of any religion or faith, in a protected monument, so many activities are going on,” Justice Karol said.
As the petitioner’s counsel sought a hearing next week, Justice Karol said, “”What is the urgency? The matter will be infructuous anyhow.”
As reported earlier, the Bombay High Court recently gave permission for animal slaughter at Vishalgadh Fort in Kolhapur district during the upcoming Muslim festivals. This animal slaughter will be done at the disputed dargah inside the fort. This permission has been given in view of the upcoming Muslim festivals of Bakrid and Urs, that will be celebrated at this dargah.
Meanwhile, Hindus have been constantly raising the matter of illegal Muslim encroachments inside this fort with 156 illegal encroachments, mostly around this dargah. The area where the Dargah was located earlier was quite small which has now been expanded to more than a thousand square feet. The Hindu community protestors say that the expansion of the Masjid behind the Dragah has been undertaken without the state’s permission, hence illegal.
This order was given by a bench of Justice Dr. Neela Gokhale and Firdos Pooniwala on Tuesday (June 03, 2025). The bench said, “It is to be noted that in an order issued on June 14, 2024, permission was given to sacrifice animals and birds in ‘a closed and private area’ near the dargah, not in any ‘open or public place’.”
The court said that the order, like last year, will be applicable this year as well. This year as well, animals can be sacrificed inside the fort on the festival of Bakrid on June 07 and during Urs from June 08 to June 12. The court said that sacrifice should not be done in a public place outside the fort.
Notably, the Vishalgadh Fort is about 1000 years old. This fort is an integral part of the heroic life of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The Muslim community has made illegal encroachments in the fort. The temples inside the fort have been left in a dilapidated state. Currently there are 20 to 24 Hindu temples here, but they are in a very bad condition.
