A day after his ashram in Rishikesh was sealed by the Haridwar Development Authority for flouting regulations, BJP leader Satpal Maharaj has termed the action political vendetta stating that the building was not a new construction but more than three decades old.
In a statement released to the media on Wednesday, Maharaj alleged political vendetta in the sealing of his Sarvadharma Mandir compound in Rishikesh. He termed the sealing wrong stating that the building was more than three decades old and being repaired after sustaining damage recently. “Those Ashrams that fall within 200 metres of the Ganga are sealed if raw sewage from such buildings is drained directly into the river contaminating it. The sewage from Sarvadharma Mandir goes to a treatment plant and not directly in the Ganga,” stated Maharaj, while adding that though he himself had not visited the Rishikesh Ashram, the building is meant to provide food and night shelter to pilgrims undertaking the Char Dham Yatra and the poor. The BJP leader stated that there are numerous Ashrams within 200 metres of the Ganga from Gangotri to Haridwar but no action had been taken against these while his Ashram has been sealed.
The Sarvadharma Mandir Ashram was sealed by the HDA on Tuesday with officials rejecting allegations of political vendetta. The HDA vice chairman HS Chugh had stressed that the building was sealed as the construction was not approved by the authority and violated the 2013 Uttarakhand HC order prohibiting construction within 200 metres of a river.