NEW DELHI: In another seething attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party on demolition of Sant Ravidas temple in the Tughlaqabad forest area, senior Aam Aadmi Party leader Sanjay Singh alleged that the saffron party had acted like Mughal emperor Babur.
“BJP says that the Ram Mandir was demolished by Babur then why has BJP become the ‘Babur’ in this case? Chief Minister Kejriwal and our social welfare minister has written letters to the Centre, why are they not responding? ,” the AAP Rajya Sabha MP said at a press conference.
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The leader said the party has received no response to its letters urging Union Urban Development Minister Hardeep Singh Puri to de-notify the same land specific land for reconstruction.
“The BJP has been instrumental in breaking the Sant Ravidas temple. But, the AAP is determined that the temple will be built.” Singh said, adding that if no action is taken in the matter, they would hold a protest at the Jantar Mantar on September 21.
The 500-year old temple in South Delhi’s Tughlaqabad was demolished on August 10 by the Delhi Development Authority, sparking protests from members of a community.
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As it snowballed into a major controversy, AAP sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s intervention in ensuring that the land is given back to the community to rebuild the place of worship.
“The BJP does not want to build the Sant Ravidas temple. There should be no politics on this. Nearly 96 people who protested against the demolition of the temple are still in jail. They have not been granted bail. Police should investigate based on records and punish the people who have done wrong” said social welfare minister Rajendra Pal Gautam.
In last one month, Puri met the Delhi L-G Anil Baijal in this to find a solution to the matter. The Sant Ravidas committee has demanded re-construction of the temple at the same spot.
The DDA which has jurisdiction over the area where the temple once stood has stated that their action was in line with the directions of the Supreme Court.