300 year old Temple Demolition: Gehlot govt issued notice to BJP-ruled Municipal Board

Amid demolition row, a new development has emerged out of Rajasthan's Alwar district, with three temples aged anywhere between 250 and 300 years being recently razed down by the municipality.

Alwar:Amid the demolition row, a new development has emerged out of Rajasthan's Alwar district, with three temples aged anywhere between 250 and 300 years being razed down by the municipality recently. Meanwhile, Urban Development and Housing Minister Shanti Dhariwal told that the Rajgarh Municipality Board, controlled by the Bharatiya Janata Party, unanimously took the decision and carried out this incident after taking the decision. The minister had asked Rajgarh EO to submit a factual report in 3 days.

Dhariwal said that it was the arrangement of a police force from the district on behalf of the Bharatiya Janata Party's board in Rajgarh, chairman Satish Duvaria, and the executive officer. He added that the government has nothing to do with this. "Neither the government was asked for any direction, nor did the government give them any direction while the government has to think 10 times to remove the place of worship," added the minister. Cabinet minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas accused BJP of doing politics in the name of temple and Ram.

BJP state president Satish Poonia has also retaliated against these allegations of the ministers of the Congress government. Satish Poonia said that the Bharatiya Janata Party has decided to send a delegation to the location to take factual information.

Giving information about the case, UDH Minister Shanti Dhariwal said that the Rajgarh Municipality Board of Alwar district, in its general assembly meeting on 8 September 2021, unanimously decided that the encroachment between the fairground and the roundabout, besides the encroachment of Gaurav Path be removed. In this regard, the trespassers were given notice on 6th April. After this, talks were held with some trespassers and their demands were also resolved. In the end, 2 temples remained there, out of which a newly built temple was built on the drain. While the other was an ancient temple.

A police complaint has been lodged at the Rajgarh police station, with no FIRs having been registered at the moment. Police have removed locals angered by the incident from the site.

As per information, the incident took place on April 17, after a previous notice from the municipality on April 6 to 86 people. The letter directed the recipients to remove encroachments in the area. After the demolition, however, Hindu organizations have accused Rajgarh MLA Johri Lal Meena, SDM Keshav Kumar Meena, and Municipal Executive Officer Banwari Lal Meena of conspiring to conduct the demolition.

Also read: Jahangirpuri:Tejashwi accuses BJP of resorting to 'demolition' tactics after losing elections

Superintendent of Police Tejaswini Gautam, meanwhile, has assured that she would speak to those agitated over the decision, and try to convince them after meeting them.

The complaints arose after the surfacing of a video clip in which MLA Johri Lal Meena is heard saying that the decision to raze down the temples was taken after getting consent from all 35 councilors in the municipality, among whom 34 represent BJP and one represents Congress. He is further seen holding the locals responsible for the situation. "I had asked you to do the needful to form a Congress board, but you did not listen to me. As a result, this is happening today", he is heard saying. When contacted, he reiterated his point, adding that the decision was taken based on voting among the councilors.

"I was invited to the program. There I had spoken about the existence of a BJP board and that this action would be taken by the orders of the board. I believe in all Gods and Goddesses, but BJP is doing politics in the name of God", he stated, when inquired about the viral clip.

BJP leader Amit Malviya, meanwhile, took the Congress government in Rajasthan to task over the incident on Friday. "300 years old Shiva temple demolished in the name of development in Alwar, Rajasthan. Shedding tears on Karauli and Jahangirpuri and hurting the faith of Hindus - this is the secularism of Congress", Malviya tweeted out.