Alwar (Rajasthan): The anti-encroachment drive leading to the demolition of a 200 year old Shiva temple by the Alwar administration in Rajasthan took a political turn when ruling Congress party and opposition BJP locked horn against each other on the issue. The two hundred year old temple that was razed by the administration on April 17 resulted in countrywide protests.
On Monday- eight days after the incident when Alwar District Collector (DC) Nakate Shivprasad Madan and SP Tejaswini Gautam visited the spot agitated people raised slogans against the administration making it obvious that the situation was far from being over. The DC and SP inspected the demolition site and also interacted with the local people. People under the banner of Rajgarh Sangharsha Samiti gathered at the spot and shouted slogans. Police arrested three people but later they were released.
Several Rajasthan BJP leaders are making a beeline to Rajgarh, nowadays. On the other hand, ruling Congress party leaders are blaming BJP for disturbing peace and communal harmony in the area.
Read: After temple, 'illegally' built cowshed demolished in Rajasthan's Alwar
Meanwhile, the Rajasthan government suspended three officials including a Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) on Monday. The suspended officials include Rajgarh SDM Keshav Kumar Meena, Rajgarh Municipality Board's chairman Satish Duharia and Executive Officer (EO) of the Nagar Panchayat Banwari Lal Meena.
A 200-year-old Shiva temple was demolished using bulldozers at Sarai Mohalla, Rajgarh in the Alwar district last week. Besides the Shiva temple, 86 shops and homes were demolished with bulldozers in Rajasthan's Alwar district on Sunday, to clear the way for a road.
Earlier on Monday, a PIL was filed in the Rajasthan High Court against the demolition of a 200-year-old Shiva temple in Alwar, in which Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot along with District Collector, Sub Divisional Magistrate, Executive Officer, Municipality and others have been made the party.
The PIL said the demolition drive in Rajgarh was carried out in an unconstitutional manner in which shops and temples, including the ancient Shiva temple, were demolished by the state government in the name of a master plan. "By vandalising the Shiva temple in an unconstitutional way, the sentiments of Hindu society have been hurt and the fundamental rights of innocent people have been violated," the PIL read.
(With agency input)
