A political slugfest has ensued in Rajasthan after three temples in Alwar were recently bulldozed to ‘remove encroachments’. The opposition BJP has slammed the Congress government for demolishing the temples in the ‘name of development’ and a case has also been filed against a ruling party MLA.
Priest of the temple and the Brajbhoomi Vikas Parishad have registered a case against three people, including Rajgarh Congress MLA Johri Lal Meena and the SDM, at the Rajgarh police station, for ‘demolishing the temple in collaboration with the administration.’
Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has served a notice to the chairman of the Nagarpalika Board of Rajgadh for the demolition of temples. The board chairman, Satynarayan, is from BJP.
The complaint alleges that a two-and-a-half hundred-year-old temple was bulldozed but that its dome was demolished and the Shivling was destroyed with a cutter on April 17.
According to the complaint lodged on Thursday, three such temples were demolished by authorities.
Reacting to the development, BJP Amit Malviya slammed the Congress government for demolishing a ‘300-year-old Hindu temple in Alwar’ in the name of development.
“300 years old Shiva temple demolished in Alwar, Rajasthan, in the name of development,” Malviya said on Twitter.
He chastised Congress for offending Hindu sentiments. Speaking about the communal violence that erupted in Rajasthan’s Karauli and Delhi’s Jahangirpuri, he said, “Shedding tears on Karauli and Jahangirpuri and hurting Hindu faith – this is Congress’ secularism.”
However, Rajgarh MLA has in turn accused the BJP of ‘breaking temples’. He said in that in the Rajgarh Municipality, BJP’s board, BJP president and 34 councillors had taken the decision to remove the encroachment.
“BJP blackmails in the name of Ram. BJP is demolishing temples and houses and shops in the name of encroachment,” he said.
BJP leader Sambit Patra also hit out at the Grand Old Party, saying videos coming in from Rajasthan were ‘very disturbing’. “The way bulldozer ran over Ram temple. I want to stress on how Congress leaders try to prove that Hindus are all fake. This shows that with the mindset of revenge, they are doing vote bank politics,” he said.
Meanwhile, Alwar BJP Lok Sabha MP Yogi Balaknath is going to the area where the temples were bulldozed, the party announced.
PCC Chief Govind Singh Dotasara, commenting on the issue, said the BJP and RSS was doing ‘wrong propaganda’ in the matter. “The temple we are talking about…the removal of this encroachment started with the previous BJP government. The Mandal President of BJP had written a letter to the Collector. There the board in the municipality belongs to the BJP. The board meeting was held on 8 September 2021 in which the resolution to remove the encroachment was passed,” he said.
Meanwhile, Dr Kirori Lal Meena, Rajya Sabha MP from Alwar, met the additional district magistrate, Alwar, and demanded to rebuild the temple, besides compensating those who have houses and shops were damaged.
The development comes amid high tensions in Delhi’s Jahangirpuri area after clashes broke out during a Hanuman Jayanti rally past week. A number of people have been arrested by police in the case.
The issue made national news again after an encroachment drive ensued on illegal houses in the area. But in relief for the residents of Jahangirpuri, the Supreme Court Thursday extended the stay on the drive till further orders while pulling up the NDMC for continuing with the demolition despite the court’s direction to the contrary and warning it will take a “serious view”.
A bench of Justices L Nageswara Rao and B R Gavai issued notices to the Centre and others on the plea filed by the Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind that claimed buildings of Muslims accused in Saturday’s riots were razed.
“Status quo to be maintained till further order…List after two weeks and pleadings to be completed till then,” the court ruled, after making trenchant comments over the way the demolition was conducted.
“We will take a serious view of the demolition which was carried out even after Supreme Court orders, even after NDMC Mayor was informed. We will take that up later,” the bench said.
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