Alwar temple demolition row: Locals form committee, seek redressal for losses

In Rajasthan’s Alwar district, where a 300-year-old Shiva temple was bulldozed last week, another 86 shops and homes were demolished as part of the anti-encroachment drive. The affected residents, whose properties were demolished in Rajgarh, formed a Sangharsh Committee for redressal of their grievances.

According to the Sangharsh Committee members, the victims, whose houses were damaged should be compensated while the temple should be reconstructed.

The Committee also demanded the concerned officials be punished accordingly.

Following the demolition drive, the Alwar district administration has issued the incident-wise and factual report of illegal encroachment removed in the Rajgarh Municipality area on April 17, 2022, saying that no religious discrimination has been done in removing encroachment, said a press release.

During the removal of encroachments on April 17, 2022, and April 18, 2022, no valid construction of any person was demolished, stated the Alwar district administration earlier.

As the encroachment drive took a political turn, Rajasthan Congress chief GS Dotasara said, “Removal of Alwar temple’s encroachment started during the previous rule of BJP government 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.”

Rajasthan Congress has alleged that Vasundhara Raje was the Chief Minister when BJP had promised a road called the “Gaurav Path” at the very place where the demolitions took place.

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Saturday condemned the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress over the demolition of the ancient temple in Alwar, Rajasthan.

“I condemn the decision. The Municipality Board was headed by BJP and the Congress government accepted the decision to demolish the ancient temple (in Alwar, Rajasthan). Congress and BJP both are equally responsible. They should apologise to the public,” Owaisi said at a press conference in Hyderabad, Telangana.

Citing the Jahangirpuri demolition, where bulldozers were run over illegal encroachments in the Northwest Delhi area, the AIMIM chief alleged that 85 per cent of homes belonged to a single community, and ‘no notice’ had been sent to the people.