Religious structures demolished in anti-encroachment drive, prompts AAP attack against L-G

The demolition was carried out amid heavy police presence. The area remained peaceful.

Residents of the area said the two structures had come up only a few decades ago. “Both structures were barely 30 years old. They were nearly in the middle of the road and caused traffic congestion,” said Raheesh Ahmed (58), an auto driver in the area.

Another resident, who did not want to be named, said, “This area used to be agricultural land before it was urbanised. There used to be a single-lane road here and the two religious places were made on either side of the road for and by both communities… politicians want to make this into a contentious issue but we know that the reason behind the demolition was not communal strife but better administration.”

Some, however, blamed the government. “This is all the government’s doing. The MCD and the PWD were behind the demolition,” claimed Raj Kumar Pandit (38), who worked at the temple.

The AAP, meanwhile, lashed out at the Delhi L-G, pointing to a letter sent to him by PWD Minister Atishi to reconsider his decision to demolish 14 religious sites in Delhi, including 11 temples and three shrines.

Quoting the letter she wrote to the L-G a few days ago, Atishi in a tweet said, “I had written a letter to you a few days back requesting you to take back your decision to demolish temples and other religious places in Delhi. But today again on your orders a temple has been demolished in Bhajanpura.”

“I request you again that temples and other religious places should not be demolished in Delhi. People’s faith is attached to these,” she said.
In a fresh letter on Sunday to the L-G, she said, “I have received information from the PWD that you have ordered the demolition of 14 religious places in Delhi. It includes 11 temples and 3 tombs. I was told by officers of the department that when the proposal to demolish these religious places came to the then Home Minister Manish Sisodia through the Religious Committee in February 2023, he registered his protest and said instead of demolishing the temple, we should change the design of the project.”

She alleged that the L-G rejected the proposal sent by Sisodia and ordered the demolition of these temples and other religious places.

“Officers have also said that you wrote in the file that the demolition of temples is a matter of ‘law and order’, so you have full power to take decisions in this. Also, instead of sending any file for demolition of the temple to the elected government, the file should be sent directly to you through the Chief Secretary,” read the letter.

AAP MLA Kuldeep Kumar also said the demolition was a deliberate attempt to undermine peace and harmony in the city.

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