In connection with the notices issued by the UT Chandigarh Administration regarding the removal of Furniture Market and illegal religious places from government acquired land by June 28, a BJP delegation led by Chandigarh BJP President Jatinder Pal Malhotra on Tuesday met the Punjab Governor and UT Administrator Banwarilal Purohit at Punjab Raj Bhawan. In a statement, Malhotra said that the Governor assured them of considering all the issues while stating that no coercive measures to be taken in this regard.

It should be mentioned here that the UT Administration had recently served a notice to several "illegal" religious places asking them to remove encroachment or the authorities will do it. Besides, the administration has also issued a notice to the shop owners of furniture market for demolition as they too are constructed on government land.

"The Governor gave us a patient hearing and said the interests of all these people will be taken care of. A proper policy will be framed in this regard till then they will not be demolished. We have told him that the sentiments of people are attached to these worship places as they are very old. Secondly, furniture shops are also there for a long time," said Malhotra.

Moreover, over these issues, a delegation from the Furniture Market situated in Sector-53 on Tuesday also met the UT Chandigarh Deputy Commissioner Vinay Pratap Singh at his office. In the statement, the UT official said that the Deputy Commissioner heard their issues and asked them to file their individual replies to the Land Acquisition Officer before June 28, failing which demolition will be preceded with ex-parte.

In the meeting, the delegation requested to offer them an opportunity to buy shops in upcoming Bulk Material Market on open auction and till the auction is conducted, they offered to pay rent of the area encroached upon by them, as assessed by Administration.