New Delhi, Jun 9 (PTI) A Delhi court on Thursday deferred its order on a plea seeking restoration of Hindu and Jain deities inside the Qutub Minar complex.

Additional District Judge Nikhil Chopra posted the matter for hearing on August 24, noting that a fresh application concerning the issue has been filed on behalf of one Kunwar Mahendra Dhwaj Prasad Singh.

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The court directed him to supply a copy of the application to the main petitioner, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), and other parties in the case.

It asked them to file their formal replies to the application.

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The ASI had earlier said that the Qutub Minar was not a place of worship.

The original suit was filed by advocate Hari Shankar Jain on behalf of Jain deity Tirthankar Lord Rishabh Dev, claiming that 27 temples were partly demolished by Qutubdin Aibak, a general in the army of Mohamad Gauri, and Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque was raised inside the complex by reusing the material.

Jain stated that there were two idols of Lord Ganesha, situated on the premises since times immemorial and that he apprehended that the ASI was likely to remove them to one of the National Museums as mere artifacts. PTI UK

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