Lt Governor rebuts Atishi’s temple demolition charge, cites AAP’s past orders​on January 2, 2025 at 3:00 pm

Lt Governor rebuts Atishi’s temple demolition charge, cites AAP’s past orders

​Lt Governor rebuts Atishi’s temple demolition charge, cites AAP’s past orders Lt Governor rebuts Atishi’s temple demolition charge, cites AAP’s past orders   

A war of words broke out between Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena and Chief Minister Atishi over the alleged demolition of religious structures in the national capital. The Lt Governor’s office on Thursday responded to allegations raised by Atishi, who claimed that demolition orders for religious structures had been issued by the Lt Governor under communal motives.

The LG Secretariat countered these claims, releasing documents to highlight the alleged involvement of former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and AAP leaders in approving such demolitions in the past.

According to the LG Secretariat, Kejriwal, on February 8, recommended the demolition of nine temples across various parts of Delhi. The statement claimed that Kejriwal and then-minister Manish Sisodia had approved the recommendations of the religious committee for these actions. Of the nine temples approved for demolition, seven were located in Karawal Nagar and two were in New Usmanpur.

The LG Secretariat further said that on June 23, 2016, Satyendra Jain, the then-Home Minister, had also approved the demolition of eight temples in different parts of Delhi.

The documents released by the Lt Governor’s office showed that from 2016 to 2023, 24 religious structures were approved for demolition, including 22 temples and a mazaar (shrine). The Lt Governor’s office also noted that on July 17, 2017, Jain rejected a religious committee recommendation to demolish two unidentified mazaars, citing “religious sentiments and sensitivities”.

The committee had found no historical significance in the mazaars, which were reportedly visited by only a handful of people each week. The removal of these structures was deemed essential for a grade separator project between Filmistan Cinema in Karol Bagh and DCM Chowk in Kisanganj.

“Given these facts, those making allegations against the LG Secretariat should retract their statements, apologise, and avoid engaging in divisive politics,” an official from the LG Secretariat said.

This comes after Atishi, in her letter to the Lt Governor on Tuesday, alleged that the religious committee, on his orders and approval, had decided to demolish several religious structures.

“It has been decided by the religious committee on your directions, and with your approval, to demolish multiple religious structures across Delhi. As you can see, the list of religious structures to be demolished includes many temples and Buddhist places of worship that are revered by the Dalit community,” the letter said.

“Demolition of these structures would hurt the religious sentiments of these communities. On behalf of the people of Delhi, I would like to request you not to demolish any of these temples and places of worship in the list enclosed,” Atishi’s letter said.