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Political row erupts after 300-year-old Shiva temple razed in Rajasthan
Alwar district collector Nakate Shivprasad Madan said that the proposal to demolition the illegal structures was passed by the board of the Rajgarh municipal council and the action was taken according to the decision of the local administration, taken in the presence of police.
The demolition of two temples, among other structures, in Rajasthan’s Alwar district earlier this week created a political storm in the state on Friday with the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accusing the Congress-led government of using bulldozers on Hindu religious places.
The Congress was quick to react saying the demolition drive was being carried out by the municipal body of Rajgarh town in Alwar, run by the BJP.
Alwar district collector Nakate Shivprasad Madan said that the proposal to demolition the illegal structures was passed by the board of the Rajgarh municipal council and the action was taken according to the decision of the local administration, taken in the presence of police.
“In the meeting of the board headed by the chairman, a proposal to remove encroachment was passed. The Executive Officer issued notices and then the action of demolition was done,” the collector said.
Another officer familiar with developments said that the executive officer of the council had issued notices to 86 people on April 6 to remove encroachment from the road and they were given time. More than 100 structures were demolished on April 17 and 18, the officer said.
While one temple was completely demolished and the idols removed, the second one was partially taken down but the sanctum sanctorum is safe, said the officer.
Urban development minister Shanti Dhariwal said the proposal to remove the encroachments to widen the road as per the master plan was passed in a meeting of the board in September 2021 and action was taken in compliance with the board’s decision after serving notices.
“Whatever done was by the BJP dominated council. The government has nothing to do with it and neither was informed,” said Dhariwal.
After constituting a fact-finding committee, BJP state president Satish Poonia said one of the temples demolished was a 300-year-old Shiva temple.
“The Congress party is blaming everything on the BJP-led municipality council but the tradition is that the decision is collectively taken by director of local bodies and district administration. Is a 300-year-old temple an encroachment?” Poonia said.
“Congress has a mentality of appeasement and has been doing that since the beginning. Gehlot govt ruthlessly demolished an old temple just like Aurangzeb did, it’s total injustice,” BJP MP Kirodi Meena said.
“Congress leaders are now making baseless statements. The reason (for demolition) is the appeasement policy of this government as they want to please their vote bank, which would happen when a bulldozer is used on Hindu sentiments. They have to face the consequences of their sins,” he said.
In response, Rajasthan Congress chief Govind Singh Dotasara said it was the decision of the BJP board in Rajgarh municipal council to demolish the structure. “The BJP is in majority in the council and it is they who are completely responsible for removing the temple. We never play with religious beliefs and it is BJP which politicises the issue,” he said.
Dotasara said the BJP should take responsibility for the Rajgarh incident and apologise.
