Don't demolish religious structures in Delhi: Atishi urges LG Saxena

Delhi minister Atishi on Sunday urged Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena to "withdraw his orders" to demolish religious structures in the national capital.

The fresh request by the PWD minister came after a temple and a mazar were removed amid heavy police deployment in northeast Delhi's Bhajanpura Chowk Sunday morning to pave the way for the construction of a flyover.

Police said the decision to remove the two structures was taken at a "religious committee" meeting a few days ago and a proper dialogue was held with the residents and local leaders.

Atishi tweeted about the demolition of the religious structures.

"LG sir: Few days ago, I had written a letter requesting you to withdraw your decision to demolish temples and other religious structures in Delhi. But today a temple in Bhajanpura was demolished again. I request you again to ensure that temples and other religious structures are not demolished in Delhi. People's faith is attached to them," she said in a tweet in Hindi.

The AAP leader had written to Saxena on June 22 requesting him to withdraw the decision of demolition of religious places. Her letter came following a row between locals and the authorities in east Delhi's Mandawali area when officials allegedly removed the grille encroaching upon the footpath near a temple on June 22.

Talking to PTI Video, she said former Delhi deputy minister Manish Sisodia had received a file regarding demolition of religious structures in January this year but he rejected it saying that the site plans can be modified.

"But LG sir sidelined his (Sisodia's) suggestions and instead said that this is a law and order matter. The files pertaining to such structures should be sent directly to him rather than through the elected government," Atishi said.

Later in the day, AAP MLA Kuldeep Kumar addressed a press conference and echoed similar views. He also demanded that the decision to demolish temples should be withdrawn.