TEMPLE DEMOLITION ROW GOVT’S OWN CREATION: BJP

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TEMPLE DEMOLITION ROW GOVT’S OWN CREATION: BJP

Wednesday, 08 May 2013 | PNS | BHUBANESWAR | in Bhubaneswar

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The BJP is of the view that the situation created in Cuttack city arising out of the ongoing demolition of religious structures is the State Government’s own creation.

Addressing a Press conference at the State party headquarters here on Monday,

former Revenue Minister Manmohan Samal and former Higher Education Minister Samir Dey warned that if the State Government does not mend its ways, a serious situation would arise in the entire State.

They alleged that the demolition drive is in violation of the Supreme Court’s order and the policy framed by the State Government itself. The Government had misled the Odisha High Court which ordered demolition of religious structures in the millennium city that has hurt the sentiments of the city dwellers irrespective of various religions.

The BJP leaders sought to know from the State Government why it did not implement the 2010 policy framed for preventing unauthorised construction of religious structures at public places which was produced before the Supreme Court through an affidavit and why the Government kept the High Court in the dark on the policy.

They said that the Supreme Court had in its order fixed the cutoff date for demolition of the unauthorised religious structures to September 29, 2009. However, the State Government while hearing in the High Court did not produce the Supreme Court order and even the document regarding its policy framed on the direction of the Supreme Court. This led to the High Court to adhere to the cutoff date of 1987.

Alleging that the demolition drive in Cuttack is due to an unpardonable mistake by the district administration, they said the situation arising out of the demolition would spread across the State, for which the Government would be held responsible.

They lamented that before implementing the order of the High Court, the district administration did not care to hold discussions with the managing trustees of the religious institutions. The administration also went against the framed policy of the Government, they said, adding that as per the Government’s policy the encroachments which do not cause traffic hazards, public nuisance or inconvenience or where the land is not required for any public purpose should not be demolished.