A large group of people on Thursday gathered near a temple in East Delhi's Mandawali to protest against the removal of a grill, which was part of the temple, during an encroachment drive carried out by Public Works Department (PWD), following rumours that the authorities were demolishing the temple. According to police, the grille was removed peacefully in the heavy police presence. The drive was carried out within one-and-a-half hours.
Police said the massive protest also led to traffic congestion in the area which was later brought under control. When the authorities were carrying out the exercise, some protesters lay down on the road and raised slogans against the drive. The massive protest also led to traffic congestion in the area which was later brought under control, police said. The incident triggered a political slugfest between the AAP and the BJP. There was heavy deployment of paramilitary and police personnel in the area. Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Amrutha Guguloth said the encroachment drive by the PWD was scheduled to be held on Thursday. “We were intimated about the encroachment drive by the PWD yesterday. The grille which surrounded the temple was encroaching upon the footpath and it was removed peacefully. We provided assistance to the PWD officials. The law and order situation is normal,” she said.
Police said the locals who had gathered near the temple premises have now stopped the protest but are still at the spot standing on one side of the road. The protesters raised slogans and also participated in prayers at the temple after the encroachment drive was completed, police said. An official from east Delhi district administration said that the temple was not touched.
“A grille on the footpath adjacent to the temple had been installed by some people a few months ago. This was affecting the access to the footpath. The PWD, which is the road owning agency, had requested for removing the grille. There was no proposal to touch the temple or any of its portion. However, locals were misled into believing that the temple was being demolished which led to protests. The encroachment was removed,” he added.
Meanwhile, the AAP targeted Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena over the issue, while the BJP called Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal “anti-Hindu”. Atishi said she was informed by PWD officials that earlier in the year when the file to demolish these 14 religious structures had come to the then Home Minister Manish Sisodia, through the Religious Committee, he had opposed it saying that the maps of the projects should be altered.
PWD minister Atishi said the permission for the encroachment drive was given by the Delhi LG despite opposition from the then PWD minister Manish Sisodia. Atishi took over as PWD minister after Sisodia was arrested for his alleged involvement in the Delhi excise policy case.
In a letter to LG, Atishi urged him to withdraw “his” decision to demolish 14 religious structures. “People's faith is attached to temples and other religious structures.
That is why I urge you to withdraw this decision of demolishing 11 temples and three mazars so that the religious feelings of people are not hurt,” the Public Works Department Minister wrote in her letter to the LG.
Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said, “Not only BJP workers were opposing (the removal of portion of temple), but some of them including two BJP councillors also got injured. This action exposes (Delhi CM) Arvind Kejriwal's anti-Hindu face.”