Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj on Tuesday slammed BJP claiming that it will use temple demolition to spread hatred before upcoming MCD elections.
Addressing a press conference, Bhardwaj said, "MCD elections are due next March and just like every election, the BJP has started preparing for this one as well. Their strategy is to polarise communities to such an extent that they would be able to get votes just on the religious lines. Even this time the BJP has begun the process of imposing it on the Hindus that their sentiments are getting hurt and then they would garner votes from them."
"The matter which we are bringing to light today is one from Chauhan Bangad, which is a Muslim dominated ward in East MCD. There is a Hindu temple in that ward which they are planning to demolish and construct a building over. The main player behind this is the BJP ruled EDMC. EDMC has put up a board outside the premises of the temple which reads 'the map of this plot has been approved by the EDMC'. The intention of BJP is to construct a building over there and then spread hatred on WhatsApp,'' he stated.
The AAP leader alleged that BJP is attempting to instigate communal riots across Delhi. Bhardwaj said ''Yesterday, when our councillors raised questions and exposed this conspiracy, both the elected and nominated councillors were suspended for 15 days.
This is a blatant abuse of power. Attempts to instigate riots are not only taking place in Chauhan Bangad, but all around Delhi. Muslim dominated wards in Okhla Legislative Assembly - Johari Farms and Noor Nagar, are seeing a similar pattern being followed where a temple was demolished only to construct a building over it. SDMC was informed of this through complaints by the people of those areas but the BJP ruled SDMC didn't take any action."
Raising questions on the BJP, Bhardwaj said, "The BJP, despite being in power, is not taking action on the temples being demolished. Why? Even a Muslim group went to the Delhi High Court and informed that temples were being demolished in those Muslim dominated areas where only 40 to 50 Hindu families resided. The Delhi High Court then pulled up the MCD to which it replied that it did not get any information of the instance. They did not do any demolition and they did not find any construction activity going on over there. How would they even find the construction? Overall, the bigger picture says that the BJP is breaking the temples of Hindus just to win in the upcoming MCD elections."
MCD Elections in Delhi are scheduled to be held in April 2022.
(With inputs from ANI)