Demolition notice to Mumbai Hanuman temple stayed: BJP
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Mumbai: A Railways' demolition notice to a Hanuman temple located outside Mumbai's busy Dadar station has been stayed, claimed BJP. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the temple would be regularised as per the rules, PTI reported.
Shiv Sena (UBT) was attempting to corner the BJP over its Hindutva commitment, citing the demolition notice, PTI suggested.
Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray visited the temple in the evening with party workers and performed `maha-aarti'. The demolition notice should be withdrawn, he demanded.
Earlier in the day, BJP legislator Mangal Prabhat Lodha said the temple will be protected.
Lodha, too visited the shrine, located near Platform No 12 in Dadar East, interacted with the temple trustees, and joined in an ‘aarti'.
BJP MLA Kalidas Kolambkar and members of Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad were also present.
Lodha said he had spoken with Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, and an order had been issued to halt the demolition.
Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray had on Friday termed the Railways' notice to demolish the 80-year-old temple, originally built by porters working at the railway station, as a ‘fatwa'. Even temples were not safe in the BJP regime, he said.
Lodha, who represents the Malabar Hill assembly constituency in the city, said the BJP was mindful of Hindu sentiments.
“We understand the sentiments of the Hindu community regarding this temple, and I assure you that no harm will come to this sacred place....BJP leaders, Bajrang Dal, and Vishwa Hindu Parishad workers have all been in contact with railway minister Vaishnaw,” he said.
“An attempt to politicise religious sentiments has been thwarted before it could succeed, and we have successfully saved the temple,” Lodha added.
In a notice dated December 4 to the trustee/priest of the temple, the Railways cited that the structure was an encroachment on its land.
The temple and other unauthorised structures affect the movement of commuters and vehicular traffic besides obstructing infrastructure works at the Dadar station, it said.
