Days after a 300-year-old Shiva temple was demolished by the municipal authority in Rajasthan's Alwar, the Rajasthan government suspended three officials, including a Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), on Monday, 25 April, news agency ANI reported.
The suspended officials include Rajgarh SDM Keshav Kumar Meena, Rajgarh Municipality Board's chairman Satish Duharia, and Executive Officer (EO) of the Nagar Panchayat Banwari Lal Meena.
Duhari reacted to the suspension, calling it wrong. "The board never mentioned any temple demolition or masterplan in its proposals... I will approach the high court," he added, according to ANI.
The Shiva temple was demolished using bulldozers at Sarai Mohalla, Rajgarh in the Alwar district last week.
Three temples built in the Sarai Bazar area were demolished by the municipal authority, in addition to some other shops and establishments.
This came after the municipal body had issued 81 notices, asking for encroachments in public places to be vacated.
The demolition has fuelled a political tussle between the BJP and the Congress, with the latter pointing out that the BJP controls the municipal body, which conducted the demolition. Meanwhile, BJP has claimed that Congress had "hurt the faith of Hindus," and condemned the demolition of the temple.
Alwar Collector Submits Report to Govt
The Alwar District Collector has sent a factual report to the government. According to the report, a proposal to remove the encroachment was passed on 8 September 2021, in the second meeting of the Municipality Board, stating problems in the master plan and Gaurav Path. On 6 April, notices were issued marking all the encroachments.
It was mentioned in the report that the Executive Officer (EO) of the Municipality had sought police personnel on 12 April 2022, during the removal of encroachments. Everyone was informed two days before the removal of the encroachment.
Regarding the temple about which there is a dispute, the report also claimed it was recently constructed and built on a drain. The idols had been removed even before the encroachment was removed.
The removed idols are being established elsewhere as per law by the Rajgarh Municipality.
(With inputs from ANI.)
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