Before Alwar, these temples were at the centre of anti-encroachment drive

Here's a look at instances when temples were demolished in the past decade due to encroachment or for government’s development projects.

A massive political slugfest ensued after a 300-year-old Shiva temple was demolished in Rajasthan’s Alwar district due to encroachment.

While the opposition BJP in the state has blamed the Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government for the demolition of the temple, Congress minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas accused the BJP of lying. The Congress leader said, “The chairman of the Rajgarh Urban Bodies Board is from the BJP. The temple has been demolished at the behest of them whereas our MLA opposed it.”

Meanwhile,BJP leader Amit Malviya launched a scathing attack on the Congress. He said, "Shedding tears on Karauli and Jahangirpuri and hurting the faith of Hindus -- this is the secularism of Congress."

In another tweet, Amit Malviya alleged, "On 18 April, without issuing any notice, the administration ran bulldozers over the pucca houses and shops of 85 Hindus in Rajgarh town of Rajasthan.

Notably, the demolition of the temple in Alwar came to light just days after communal violence erupted in Delhi's Jahangirpuri, Rajasthan's Karauli, and khargone district in Madhya Pradesh.

Here are some of the instances when temples were demolished because of encroachment or due to government’s development projects:

TAMIL NADU: July 20, 2021