Himachal CM Jai Ram Thakur calls demolition of 300-year-old Alwar temple as 'unfortunate'

After the Ashok Gehlot-led Rajasthan government got bulldozers to run on a 300-year-old temple in Rajgarh of Alwar district, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur termed the incident 'unfortunate', mentioning the popular saying 'Vinashkale Viprit Buddhi'. BJP leaders have accused Congress of deliberately hurting Hindu sentiments and doing appeasement politics. The saffron party is also set to deploy its team on the ground to investigate the matter. 

Speaking to ANI, the Himachal CM said, "It's unfortunate, I would say 'Vinashkale Viprit Buddhi' (meaning when ones destruction is near one goes against its brain or stops using it.)"

Locals share their ordeal 

Some distraught and furious residents of Rajasthan's Alwar have alleged that when they had 'joined their hands and prayed' in front of the administration to spare the Temple, the administration had responded saying ''if you continue we'll tear it down faster.''

Speaking to Republic Media Network, a sobbing local lady stated, "We joined our hands and begged them to spare the temples, but they did not listen even once. They have destroyed all the temples here. Even the police officials had locked us in our houses and ordered- 'don't let them see, just break it. "

Other locals claimed that the demolition was being carried out by Johari Lal Meena and they were not given any prior notice to conduct this demolition. When asked about the demolition drive of the 300-year-old Shiv temple in Rajgarh, locals said, “Nearby shops and houses are also demolished under the name of development. We are left with no source of income and there is no support from the administration till now.”

Alwar temple demolition

The Rajasthan government got bulldozers to run on the 300-year-old temple in Rajgarh of Rajasthan's Alwar district. The sculptures were reportedly broken with yellow claws and a 300-year-old Shivling was broken by the drill. The locals in the area alleged that the temple was destroyed under the pretext of development. On the other hand, a video of Congress MLA came to the fore in which Johari Lal Meena is allegedly seen saying that the bulldozer would not work had there been a Congress board in the area. 

The Congress MLA also reportedly asked to bring 34 councillors to his house to stop the demolition. It is through this alleged video that people are linking the statement of the MLA with the destruction of the temple. It is pertinent to mention that the BJP's board is presently in the Rajgarh area of Alwar. Several Hindu organisations have filed complaints in the matter