BJP, Aam Aadmi Party Governments playing “fixed match” regarding the demolition of a temple in Chandni Chowk---Ch. Anil Kumar.

 ·     BJP, Aam Aadmi Party Governments playing “fixed match” regarding the demolition of a temple in Chandni Chowk---Ch. Anil Kumar.

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   The norm is that if a religious structure is demolished for development purpose, alternate site is allotted for the relocation of the demolished structure—Ch. Anil Kumar.

NEW DELHI, January 4, 2021---Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee president Ch. Anil Kumar said that the BJP-ruled Municipal Corporations of Delhi and the Aam Aadmi Party Government in Delhi were indulging in cheap publicity stunts regarding the removal of a temple on the main Chandni Chowk road, though the truth is that it was done by the North Delhi Municipal Corporation, with the concurrence of the Arvind Government

Ch. Anil Kumar said that the Delhi Government, in a letter to the Commissioner, North Delhi Municipal Corporation, ruled by the BJP, on 8-8-2019, had stated that “none of the authorities appearing before the Court dispute that that these are encroachments. In view of this matter, the concerned land ownining authority-- i.e. the MCD—in the light of Section 299 of the DMC Act, is hereby directed to remove the said encroachments. The Government of NCT of Delhi and the Delhi Police shall extend their full co-operation in this regard”. (A letter of the copy is enclosed)

Ch. Anil Kumar said that both BJP and AAP Governments have admitted in the Court that this temple was an “encroachment” on the pedestrian pathway of Chandni Chowk. It was demolished when Delhi Police, Delhi Government and the BJP together got a direction from the Delhi High Court.

Ch. Anil Kumar said that the normal procedure is that if a temple or other religious structures are removed for the specific purpose of development, then they are allotted alternate places for relocating such shrines.

Ch. Anil Kumar recalled that when the Sant Guru Ravi Das Temple at the Tughlakabad forest area was demolished by the DDA, which had kicked up large scale protests by various Dalit organisations, the Modi Government at the Centre had filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court that it was willing “to give place in the same site for reconstruction of the Guru Ravidas Temple'”. He said that the same justice formula could have been adopted in this case too, but instead, BJP and Arvind Government have indulged in a shadow boxing to stoke religious sentiments.

Ch. Anil Kumar said that political “upmanship” should be avoided on such sensitive issues, while adhering to court orders, in the larger public interest, as it is clearly evident that the BJP and AAP Governments were playing a “fixed match” in this case.