Protests erupt over temple demolition

By NewsGram News Desk

New Delhi: In yet another temple demolition ordered by court taking a religious turn for worse, Delhi Development Authority (DDA) officials had to return empty handed without executing Delhi High Court order as locals protested against demolition with the help of some religious groups.

"As the team arrived to demolish the Laxmi Narayan Mandir in Priyadarshini Vihar, tension erupted in the area. The protestors blocked the roads leading to the area," a DDA official was quoted as saying.

India is not alien to such situation where temples, mosques and other religious places are built on illegal land and when the courts order demolition, protests erupt. The religious groups appear as if they represent the whole religion and whether or not the land belongs to the temple, they go on rampage.

This habit of irrational protests have, in past, stalled several developmental projects or, at least, delayed them. They not only protest but also create law and order problem by vandalising public and private property in a show of misplaced anger.

"Shops were shut down. A fire-tender, 13 Delhi Transport Corporation buses and two JCB machines (backhoe loader) were vandalised," the official said.

The DDA team had to return without demolishing the temple as local residents along with various religious groups protested against it. "Protestors along with religious groups burnt tyres at various places to express their anger, forcing us to return without any further demolition," the official added.

The police said that the demolition of Laxmi Narayan Mandir was ordered by the Delhi High court. The temple is built over approximately 1,000 square yards of land, along with its prayer hall.

"Following directions of the high court, the authority (DDA) on September 3 had demolished the satsang hall of the temple. The remaining construction was to be demolished in next two days. But it was interrupted due to the continuous protest from the locals and religious groups," a police official was quoted as saying.

"Protesting against the demolition order of the high court, locals closed down Laxmi Nagar market, vandalised government property and also burnt tyres," he said, "In view of the continuous protests, the temple could not be demolished today."

With inputs from IANS