The incident occurred during the 814th Urs of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti when a Congress delegation arrived to offer a ceremonial chadar on behalf of party president Mallikarjun Kharge. Akhtar, accompanied by her son and workers, was blocked at Naya Bazaar Chaupadh, where police cited lack of prior permission.

Akhtar and supporters immediately sat on dharna, demanding to be allowed to proceed. The standoff drew crowds and created a charged atmosphere until Rajasthan Congress president Govind Singh Dotasra reached the spot after offering the chadar at the shrine.

Dotasra questioned Ajmer Kotwali Circle Inspector Anil Dev Kalla about the obstruction. After discussions, the inspector arrived with folded hands and apologised directly to Akhtar.

“Madam is like our sister. We have no objection. If any mistake was made on my part and you felt hurt, I apologise,” Kalla said. When he initially suggested the error might have been by subordinates, Dotasra insisted he accept responsibility, prompting a second, clearer apology.

Akhtar later expressed her displeasure, noting that senior officers were present from the beginning. “The president has said this should not happen again,” she told reporters, adding that the party leadership had taken note of the episode.

The delegation included AICC Minority Department head and MP Imran Pratapgarhi, who carried Kharge’s chadar, along with Leader of Opposition Tika Ram Jully and other local Congress leaders.

Police said the matter was resolved amicably and no further action was required. The protest was called off after the apology, and normalcy returned to the area.

The episode has revived political tensions in Rajasthan, where the Congress has accused the BJP government of bias in managing religious events. The Ajmer Dargah, one of India’s most revered Sufi shrines, attracts millions during the Urs, making security and protocol arrangements particularly sensitive.

As the Urs continues, the incident underscores the delicate balance between administrative control and political sensitivities at major religious sites.