Scores of Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal members were detained by police during a protest over the demolition of a Hanuman temple at Chandni Chowk in Delhi. The protesters, carrying saffron flags and raising slogans, took out a march from the Gauri Shankar Mandir to the site where the temple existed. They were stopped by police at a barricade.
According to VHP spokesperson Mahendra Rawat, around 15-20 workers and leaders, including Delhi unit president Kapil Khanna, vice president Surendra Gupta, secretary Raviji and Bajrang Dal state convener Bharar Batra were detained during the protest.
The Hanuman temple at Chandni Chowk was demolised on Sunday morning. The demolition drive was carried out by the MCD in accordance with court orders, a PTI report said.
According to reports, a concrete pathway was made soon after the temple was demolished. The temple was located in the middle of the road between the Town Hall and Gurdwara Sis Ganj.
Meanwhile, the BJP and the AAP blamed each other over temple's demolition.
BJP demands reconstruction of the temple
The BJP demanded reconstruction of the temple at the same site. Party's city unit president Adesh Gupta blamed the AAP government for the demolition of the Hanuman temple.
Gupta said that under a conspiracy hatched by the Kejriwal government, the temple was demolished in the name of redevelopment of Chandni Chowk, which has hurt the faith of crores of Hindus.
"Delhi BJP leaders will soon meet LG Anil Baijal for the reconstruction of the temple at Chandni Chowk and demand his intervention in this matter," Gupta said.
VHP delegation meets L-G
A delegation of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), led by its working president Alok Kumar, met the LG and demanded reconstruction of the temple.
Senior AAP leader Durgesh Pathak claimed that the BJP-ruled North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) demolished the temple and alleged that the leaders of the saffron party are accusing the AAP now to avoid public anger over such a "heinous crime".
"To hide this reality from the people of Delhi, with the help of the city police, the BJP demolished the temple when everybody was asleep. Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta and other top leaders of the party are directly responsible for demolishing the ancient Hanuman temple. The AAP demands stringent action against these leaders for committing such a heinous crime," he said.
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