BJP MP levels double standard charges against Ashok Gehlot on temple demolition
BJP MP levels double standard charges against Ashok Gehlot on temple demolition
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Kirodi Lal Meena, who staged an overnight dharna at the site of the demolished temple in Alwar on Friday, hit out at Congress leader and Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot saying that he has been condemning the razing of structures in other states but has done the same in Rajasthan.
A 300-year-old Shiva temple, houses and shops were demolished using bulldozers in Sarai Mohalla of Alwar district to clear the way for a road. A complaint has been registered at Rajgarh Police Station in connection with the matter.
Following the incident, Meena demanded that a case should be registered against officials involved in the demolition, compensation to those whose buildings were demolished despite having legal documentation, and redevelopment of the temple.
"We were on an overnight dharna here in Alwar but we have not heard from the Administration yet," the BJP MP told ANI today morning.
"In the case of demolition of Shiv temple in Rajgarh (Alwar), if the government does not accept the justified demands, I will be on a dharna in the temple premises at night along with the local people," the BJP MP tweeted earlier (roughly translated from Hindi).
Hitting out at the ruling Congress government led by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Meena said that the CM has been condemning the razing down structures in other states but resorted to the same himself.
"Ashok Gehlot deployed a bulldozer to demolish houses and a temple, while he has been condemning bulldozing in other states," he said.
Meena on Friday said that he has spoke with the administration and laid out his demands.
"Congress has a mentality of appeasement and has been doing that since the beginning. Gehlot govt ruthlessly demolished an old temple just like Aurangzeb did, it's a total injustice," the BJP MP alleged.
Meanwhile, Rajgarh Municipality Chairman Satish Guria on Friday termed accusations against him over the demolition of the temple as "baseless."
"Accusations against me and the board are baseless. The board never mentioned in its proposal to demolish temples... everything was done by the administration... Congress has never had a board in Rajgarh, it's their dream," he had said.
However, District Magistrate Shivprasad Nakate on Friday said that a "consensus" decision was taken during the municipality meeting to remove the illegal encroachments on the roadside. He also claimed that before the encroachment drive, the temple priests had shifted the idols to another place.
A five-member committee has been constituted by the BJP to investigate the demolition of the temple. The members will visit Rajgarh, prepare a factual report, and hand it over to the Rajasthan BJP chief Satish Poonia.
Rajasthan Congress chief GS Dotasara alleged that the removal of temples started during the tenure of the previous BJP government.
"Removal of Alwar temple's encroachment started during the previous BJP govt...saying that Congress disturbs temples and idols, is wrong. This has always been BJP's agenda...as polls come, they spread religious unrest to make political chapatis," he alleged.
"No collector was asked for or has given permission (for demolition), the municipal board, after orders from its president, took the decision. The government has taken immediate action, put restrictions. We have given orders to place the idols back," he added.
(ANI)