Rajasthan temple demolition: Board chairman, two officers suspended

Jaipur: The Rajasthan government has suspended the municipality chairmen and two officials, including a Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), in the matter related to the demolition of a temple in Rajgargh Alwar.

Rajgarh Municipality Board chairman Satish Duharia, who is elected from the BJP, Rajgarh SDM Keshav Kumar Meena, and Executive Officer (EO) of the municipality Banwari Lal Meena were among the suspended officials.

The action of the government came days after a 300-year-old Shiva temple was demolished using bulldozers by local authorities, who claimed that the drive was carried out to clear encroachments in the Sarai Mohalla of Rajgarh in the Alwar district.

About 86 shops and residential buildings were also demolished during the drive.

The ruling Congress had alleged that the decision to carry out the demolition drive was taken by the Rajgarh municipality where the BJP is in majority, while the BJP had accused the state government of being behind you.

Now, after the suspension of the officers, the BJP has said that the government has admitted that the temple was demolished due to the negligence of the officers.

"The government has suspended the elected chairman of the board, but the Congress MLA of Rajgarh was also in the meeting in which the resolution was passed to carry out the drive, so action should be taken against the MLA also,’ said Ramlal Sharma, the spokesperson of BJP.