New Delhi: An “anti-encroachment drive” by the Delhi government’s Public Works Department (PWD) at a temple in East Delhi’s Mandawali Thursday has added to existing differences between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in the national capital and the Lieutenant Governor’s office, with Delhi’s PWD minister Atishi (who uses a single name) accusing L-G Vinai Kumar Saxena of ordering destruction of the temple.
The drive led to a protest by devotees in Mandawali’s Indra Colony in East Delhi Thursday, when an “illegally-added” grille of the Shani Dev Mandir, which was allegedly obstructing the footpath, was removed as part of an anti-encroachment drive. Delhi Police officers who were assisting the PWD to carry out the drive, claimed the grille was removed “peacefully” in the presence of heavy police deployment, though some residents alleged “laathi-charge” and “manhandling” by the police.
Following a protest by the devotees, Atishi blamed the Lieutenant Governor for ordering the demolition of the temple. “Manish Sisodia [AAP leader], when he was the (Delhi) home minister, had raised objections against it [against the encroachment drive], but the L-G overruled his suggestion,” she claimed.
The Delhi minister also told the media that the L-G’s decision to “overrule” Sisodia was not just limited to Mandawali. She alleged that the L-G had decided to demolish 10 other temples in Delhi. “The Delhi L-G has also said that files to demolish temples would be sent directly to him and not the elected government,” the minister alleged.
When ThePrint reached the L-G office for comment, an official, who did not want to be identified, said “AAP is playing petty politics” and demanded that the PWD minister shows proof of the demolition order allegedly given by the L-G.
“The land belongs to the PWD, which comes under the Delhi Government. It was recommended by the Religious Commission, which is also under the Delhi government. This has been carried out by them, yet they are blaming it on the L-G after angering the public. Has she shown any order? This is just a petty political allegation,” the official said early Friday.
ThePrint has also requested for an official comment. The article will be updated once a response is received.
ThePrint visited the Mandawali Thursday after the grille had been removed, to find that a part of it extended partly into the pavement, which faces a busy road. The small shrine is located at the corner of a narrow road that leads to a residential colony. There is a madrasa next to the temple, and a mosque some distance away.
A group of Hindu devotees, who were performing kirtan at the temple at the time of ThePrint’s visit, alleged that they were lathi-charged and treated unfairly by the police, who did not give them any notice before demolishing the grille.
Mandawali residents ThePrint spoke to also claimed that it was “unfair” to remove alleged illegal encroachments by the mandir without issuing any notice.
A temple priest ThePrint spoke to claimed, “I didn’t even receive a notice before the police stormed the area.”
However, deputy commissioner of police (East) Amrutha Guguloth told the media that the locals were intimated about the anti-encroachment drive by PWD Wednesday.
ThePrint reached Additional Director General A.K. Rajdev posted as Principal Chief Engineer of the PWD via email but is yet to receive a response. This report will be updated when a response is received. ThePrint also reached Anant Kumar, engineer-in-chief, Public Works Department, over call, but he declined comment saying he did not have details on the matter.
‘Laathi-charged, manhandled’
According to residents ThePrint spoke to, the mandir has been there since 2014 and is the only temple in the area. They also claimed that police and paramilitary forces arrived at the spot early in the morning and had removed the grille around 11 am.
Purported videos of the demolition drive circulating online appear to show police using lathis on the protesters, who claimed while talking to ThePrint that many of them were injured and taken to Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital for treatment.
However, Delhi Police told the media that the grille was removed “peacefully.” Media reports quoted the police as saying that the locals who had gathered near the temple premises, continued to throng the area even after they stopped the protest. They chanted slogans and also participated in prayers at the temple after the demolition drive was completed, the reports added.
Refuting the police’s claim of “peaceful” removal of the grille, the protesters alleged that they were attacked by the police even though they were protesting “peacefully”. They added that many even suffered head and chest injuries from the lathi charge. The women present at the site alleged that they were “manhandled” and their “clothes were torn by the police”.
Rishi (who goes by a single name), a resident of the area, showed ThePrint an injury on his arm, which he alleged was caused by the police pushing and dragging him.
ThePrint reached deputy commissioner of police (DCP), East, Amrutha Guguloth, over phone and text messages for comment, but received no response. This report will be updated when a response is received.
AAP vs BJP
Meanwhile, AAP and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) were engaged in a war of words on the matter late Thursday.
AAP chief spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar, while addressing a press conference, said that the BJP and L-G seem to have targeted their efforts towards disrupting the peaceful atmosphere in Delhi.
She alleged that a 150-year-old Shiv temple on Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, a 50-year-old Hanuman temple in Rajendra Nagar, an old Hanuman temple in Sarojini Nagar, and the Neelkanth temple in Sriniwaspuri were “destroyed”.
“When will their attacks on temples and Hindus cease? They are hoping Delhi burns, just like the current situation in Manipur! We must question why the BJP engages in such actions and what they aim to achieve by spoiling the harmonious environment we cherish,” she told the media late Thursday.
The BJP, meanwhile, alleged that one of its councillors, Shashi Chandna, was grievously injured during Thursday’s demolition drive. The party also claimed that not only were they opposing the removal of the portion, but two of their councillors were also injured. “This action exposes (Delhi CM) Arvind Kejriwal’s anti-Hindu face,” Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said.
(Edited by Richa Mishra)
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