Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) has decided to stage a protest against DDA (Delhi Development Authority) at Jantar Mantar for "demolishing" Sant Ravidas temple in South east Delhi's Tughlakabad area. The party MLAs will raise the issue in the Delhi Assembly session starting Thursday.
Delhi Social Welfare Minister Rajendra Pal Gautam said that AAP workers from Haryana and Punjab will be also participating in the protest. Gautam also alleged that the BJP-led central government had stopped the entry of passenger trains into Delhi from Haryana and Punjab in order to prevent people from coming to the national capital to lodge their protest against the demolition.
"Despite my letter to the Prime Minister on August 12 and two days of protests at the BJP headquarters, the
central Government has not taken any proactive measure to solve the issue of the demolition of the Sant Ravidas temple," he said.
Gautam also said "The BJP government is trying to subdue the voices of Dalits on this issue. The union government has resorted to repressive steps like stopping buses and nearly 15 passenger trains from Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan in order to prevent people from joining the protest,"
The protest will be held in a peaceful manner, the minister said, adding that Union government breached the trust of Dalits and failed to take everyone on board as it always claims.
The DDA in a statement issued earlier said the "structure was removed as per the orders of the Supreme Court". "The standing semi-permanent structure was dismantled peacefully without any resistance or use of force in the presence of Guru Ravi Das Jayanti Samaroh Samiti members," the DDA had said in the statement.
The DDA had said the Apex court in a case titled 'Guru Ravi Das Jayanti Samaroh Samiti vs Union of India', had on August 9 observed that "serious breach" has been committed by the Samiti by not vacating the forest area as earlier ordered by the court.