Lagatar24 Desk
Alwar, April 27: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Hindutva organisations such as the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) staged ‘aakrosh rally’ in Alwar, Rajasthan on Wednesday. The rally was to protest the demolition of three temples and stores during an anti-encroachment drive in Rajgarh.
The three temples, as well as 86 shops and homes, were razed last week in Rajasthan’s Alwar district as part of an anti-encroachment effort to widen a road in Rajgarh town, according to officials. Among the temples razed was a 300-year-old Shiva temple. The demonstrators are calling for the temples to be rebuilt on the same place.
The rally is marching from the Shaheed Smaarak (martyrs’ memorial) to the collectorate, with Alwar MP Balaknath and several monks taking part. The cops set up barricades and shouted ‘Jai Shree Ram’ to disperse the protesters.
According to locals, the authorities refused to allow the idols at the shrine to be removed. The BJP and the ruling Congress have swapped accusations about the temples being demolished. While Rajasthan BJP president Satish Poonia accused the Congress of being behind the demolition, state Congress chief Govind Singh Dotasra said the city’s municipality, which is led by the saffron party, made the decision.
