New Delhi:
In a heated exchange that has escalated the political tensions in Delhi, Chief Minister Atishi has accused Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena of ordering the demolition of several Hindu and Buddhist religious structures, a claim vehemently denied by the LG’s office as a ploy to divert attention from the government’s failures.
Atishi, in a letter to LG Saxena, alleged that the Religious Committee, acting on the Lieutenant Governor’s directions, had decided to demolish multiple temples and Buddhist places of worship across Delhi. She mentioned specific locations such as West Patel Nagar, Dilshad Garden, Sunder Nagri, Seema Puri, Gokal Puri, and Usmanpur, where these structures are situated. Atishi emphasized that these sites hold significant importance for the Dalit community and other religious groups, and their demolition would severely hurt public sentiments.
However, the LG secretariat swiftly refuted these allegations, stating that no temples, mosques, churches, or any other places of worship are being demolished, and no such file has been received by their office. The LG’s office labeled Atishi’s claims as “cheap politics” aimed at diverting attention from her own and her predecessor Arvind Kejriwal’s failures.
The LG secretariat highlighted that strict instructions have been issued to the police to maintain extra vigilance against any forces that might engage in vandalism for political benefits. They cited the peaceful Christmas celebrations as evidence of the success of these measures, where no untoward incidents were reported.
Atishi also pointed out that the decision-making process of the Religious Committee has been altered, with all files now being routed directly to the LG’s office, bypassing the chief minister and the home minister. This change, she argued, undermines the role of the elected government in protecting the religious sentiments of Delhi’s people.
The dispute is the latest in a series of confrontations between Atishi and the Lieutenant Governor, reflecting the growing political tensions ahead of the Delhi polls.
