Jain Temple Demolition: Municipal Mazdoor Union To March To K-East Ward Office On Wednesday; Claims Minority Commission Cannot Summon BMC While Case Is Pending in HC

Mumbai: The Municipal Mazdoor Union and Municipal Engineers Association (MEA) is up in arms against the summon by the Minority Commission to BMC Commissioner in the demolition case of Vile Parle's Jain Digambar Temple. The union has called for a protest march to K-East ward office on Wednesday at 11 am.

"The minority commission has no right to summon BMC officers when the case is heard in High Court. An Allahbad HC judgement of September 2023 mentions that a commission cannot interfere when the matter is subjudice,' said Ramesh Bhutekar-Deshmukh, executive president of MEA.

The union is also against the abrupt transfer of K-East ward's assistant municipal commissioner Navnath Ghatge, who had signed the order to demolition the 90-year old Jain temple last Wednesday.

"The officer was following HC orders. He stayed at the post for hardly 15-20 days. If performing duties is going to welcome punishments, then commissions and courts should take charge of the civic body. Our officers will do only clerical work," he added.

Ghatge was transferred immediately after the Jain community launched a massive protests against the demolition. The K-East ward office's additional charge is now with H-East ward officer Swapnaja Kshirsagar.

Deshmukh also said that the union demands if ward officers are to be wrongly blamed, henceforth the BMC Commissioner should be present at the spot during every demolition action. "Former Municipal Commissioner G.R Khairnar used to be at the site during demolition. The present commissioners can do the same," he added.

The temple trust has been alleging that the religious idols and scriptures were damaged during the demolition of temple. However, a senior BMC officer directly involved in the demolition told the FPJ that all idols, religious materials and puja items were removed before starting the action. The police diary of the demolition also mentions that no religious materials were damaged.

Meanwhile, the devotees started performing religious rituals from Sunday in the remaining area of the temple, after BMC cleared debris on Saturday.