The Public Works Department (PWD), along with other government agencies, conducted an anti-encroachment drive in Bhajanpura, East Delhi, on Sunday morning. As part of the drive, two religious structures—a temple and a mazar—were removed using bulldozers.
The decision has sparked mixed reactions, with PWD Minister Atishi requesting Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena to halt the anti-encroachment drive targeting religious structures, emphasizing their significance in people’s faiths.
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According to The Hindustan Times, an official from the LG secretariat stated that the anti-encroachment drives are solely conducted by the PWD. “Why doesn’t the government stall it? LG is not involved with this,” said the official.
The drive, which lasted approximately three hours, aimed to decongest the area, widen the Delhi-Saharanpur highway, and construct a double-decker flyover. The presence of the two structures had been causing congestion points along the main Wazirabad road.
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Expressing her concerns, PWD Minister Atishi took to Twitter and said, “LG Sahab, I had written a letter to you requesting that the decision to demolish the temples and other religious structures should be taken back but on your orders, a temple in Bhajanpura has been demolished today. I request that temples and other religious places not be demolished in Delhi. People’s faith is linked with them.”
This is not the first instance of anti-encroachment drives targeting unauthorised religious structures in Delhi. The PWD previously removed an unauthorised temple and mosque near ITO on February 25. Similar drives took place near the shrine of Hazrat Nizamuddin in South Delhi on April 1, and in Hasanpur and Ghazipur on April 27. The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) also conducted anti-encroachment drives on mazars near Udyog Bhawan on April 5.
In a letter to the Lieutenant Governor, Atishi mentioned that 14 religious structures, including 11 temples and three mazars, were slated for demolition, “The officers also informed me that LG has noted in the file that the demolition of religious structures pertains to law and order, and the LG is the competent authority to decide on this. In the future, all files related to the demolition of religious structures should not be sent to the elected government. The files should be sent to you directly from the chief secretary,” Atishi wrote, according to Hindustan Times.
The deputy commissioner of police (DCP) (northeast), Joy Tirkey, said that the drive on Sunday was carried out peacefully. “The drive was carried out with the cooperation of the residents. We came early around 3.30 am and addressed the apprehensions of the residents. All efforts were made by civic agencies not to damage the idols,” he assured.
It is important to note that in 2009, the Supreme Court ordered the demolition, relocation, or regulation of unauthorized religious structures from public places, prohibiting any further occupation by such structures. To address such matters and provide recommendations, Delhi established a religious committee in 2014, headed by the Home Secretary.