Parties want to save religious structures

Even as the municipal corporation started demolishing religious structures that obstruct infrastructure projects on Thursday, political parties are trying hard to save them.

Even as the municipal corporation started demolishing religious structures that obstruct infrastructure projects on Thursday, political parties are trying hard to save them.

HT Image

The Shiv Sena, the ruling party in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), insists that action should not be taken against 400 of the 729 shrines, including temples, mosques and crosses.

The Sena wants these structures to be regularised because they do not hinder traffic or pedestrian movement.

After locals approached the Congress-led state government, the party, too, wants the BMC to examine the Supreme Court order before taking action against crosses in Bandra and other places.

As per the directives of the SC and the state government, the BMC has issued notices to 729 shrines on public places and government land, for removal.

The Sena leaders will raise this issue in the group leaders committee on Friday.

“The structures we want to regularise hardly obstruct traffic… These glitches can be rectified within the framework of rules,” said Rahul Shewale, standing committee chairman.

He said the structures were regularised three years ago, but notices were issued to them after the SC directives in 2009.

Congress legislator from Bandra Baba Siddiqui, who was part of the delegation, said, “Our stand is to protect the religious structure prior to 1964.”

The BMC has asked the trusts or residents to submit papers proving that a structure is prior to 1964.

“It will take people time to find documents to prove the legality of their religious structures, which are built before some 50 years back,” said mayor Shraddha Jadhav.