What led to the demolition of the Hanuman Temple in Chandni Chowk?

The demolition of a Hanuman Temple in Chandni Chowk in Delhi has created fairly the controversy within the Union Territory. The temple was demolished as a part of the Delhi Government’s Chandni Chowk Redevelopment Plan and was carried out by the NDMC which is managed by the BJP. Now, the BJP in Delhi is blaming the AAP authorities for not saving the Temple.
The Delhi High Court had ordered the demolition of the Temple in November, 2019. The Delhi HC had overruled the Delhi Government’s ‘religious committee’ which urged the mixing of the Hanuman Mandir and the Shiv Temple within the re-development plan.
The Delhi High Court had additionally slammed the Delhi authorities for its “u-turn” on the elimination of the temples, mentioning that the Court had directed the North Delhi Municipal Corporation in 2015 itself to clear encroachments, together with the temple that stalled the progress of the Chandni Chowk redevelopment challenge.
It is pertinent to say right here that the Delhi High Court delivered the order after neither the Delhi Government, Shahjahanabad Redevelopment Corporation nor the NMCD disputed that the 5 non secular constructions blocking the plan have been encroachments.
Again, in November 2020, the Delhi High Court refused to entertain a plea by the Shri Manokamna Siddh Shri Hanuman Seva Samiti saying that any request to intervene should come from the AAP authorities itself.
“Once such a liberty was granted to the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD), and so far, GNCTD has not approached this court for any relief, we see no reason to entertain this application for intervention which is nothing but an attempt to reagitate the same issue that has been considered and rejected by an earlier order,” the Delhi High Court bench stated.
The North Delhi Municipal Corporation in December instructed the Delhi excessive courtroom that it intends to demolish the Hanuman Temple quickly. The demolition had been postponed a number of occasions till then citing varied causes. The date of demolition was scheduled for December 20 however nothing occurred then as nicely. Ultimately, it was demolished within the wee hours of the intervening night time between the 2nd and third of January.
The BJP blames AAP for Hanuman Temple demolition
OpIndia spoke to the Praveen Shankar Kapoor, spokesperson for BJP Delhi, over the matter. We sought clarification relating to the identical contemplating the truth that the NDMC had demolished the Temple and it was managed by the BJP. He instructed us that there have been two different non secular constructions proposed to be demolished that have been protected by the Delhi authorities however the AAP refused to do the identical for the Hanuman Mandir.
“The plan was of the Delhi Government, the order came from the Delhi High Court. The Delhi Government has saved two other religious places, why not the Hanuman Mandir?” Kapoor additionally stated that the demolition was carried out with out informing the Mayor. He stated that Delhi Commissioner Satnam Singh carried out the demolition and there could also be motion taken towards him.
Kapoor additionally stated that he has not denied that the NDMC carried out the demolition however insisted that the NDMC couldn’t refuse to hold out the Delhi High Court order. The solely objection that might come was from the Delhi Government however it by no means got here. He additionally insisted that the Hanuman Temple have to be rebuilt.
Who is in charge for the Demolition?
There is important blame recreation happening. It is pertinent to say right here that the November 2019 order by the Delhi High Court was handed in response to a plea filed by the Delhi Government in search of to alter the Court’s earlier instructions that the Lieutenant Governor ought to take measures to take away the non secular constructions hindering the plan.
The Court ordered the demolition after the architect stated that the Temple will hamper the proposed work and that the calls for made by the federal government committee was not implementable. Now the BJP is blaming the AAP for the demolition although it was NDMC that demolished as a result of it claims the Delhi Government may have intervened within the matter however didn’t.
The BJP additionally claims that the AAP saved two different constructions however selected not to take action within the case of the Hanuman Temple. It can also be obvious that when the NMCD stated that they are going to demolish the Temple, they meant that they are going to implement the Court order. The civic physique did transfer the Supreme Court the place it was noticed that the “responsibility to remove the encroachment is primarily of the municipal corporation. However, in such an endeavour, the government must extend a support to the corporation.”
It isn’t clear whether or not the NMCD made any effort to reverse the order mandating the demolition of the Temple or the measures it may have taken to make sure that the Temple was not demolished. It doesn’t seem to have made any effort in overturning the Delhi High Court order. The Delhi Government, too, seems to have tried to reverse the Court order mandating the demolition however seems to have given up too quickly.
Thus, whereas the Delhi High Court ordered the demolition of the Temple, it seems that BJP managed NMCD and the AAP Government each failed to avoid wasting the Temple.