Temples demolished for growth: Vasundhara Raje to RSS

Instead, Raje is said to have pacified the Sangh with a promise of reconstructing the temples.

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“Around 32 temples were demolished during the previous Ashok Gehlot government while the Raje government brought down 65 temples and eight Muslim shrines that came in the way of development projects such as the Ring Road, Jaipur Metro, road widening and beautification of the city. These were necessary, more so because all these religious structures were encroachments and did not have legal land holding,” said a senior government official. “The Gehlot government, however, did not demolish any Muslim shrine ever.”

Officials said that the 43 temples that were demolished have been given alternative locations, and the state government has already started reconstructing 33 temples. Places such as Bagru (20), Sanganer (12), Civil Lines (12) and Malviya Nagar (10) saw the highest number of temple demolitions —- all areas where either Ring Road or metro construction projects were on, the official said.

Raje’s aides dismissed protests by legislators Ghanshyam Tiwari and Narpat Singh Rajvi against the temple demolitions, maintaining that they were disgruntled for not being included in the state cabinet and had thus become vocal critics of Raje.

Sources said there had been pressure from the RSS to include Tiwari in Raje’s cabinet, but the chief minister had put her foot down.