Pune: There was an outburst against anti-Hindu Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) whose activities can be compared only with Mahammud Gazani. Under the pretext of encroachment, PMC demolished the temple of Sree Mangir Baba on Pune-Mumbai highway. There were repercussions against the incident all over the city. Only in the last week, PMC demolished Datta Mandir on Satara Road and later, the marquee of Datta Mandir on Alandi Road. Now it has pulled down Sree Mangir Baba’s temple for road-widening claiming it to be encroachment. A meeting has been called by enraged Matang Sectarians and they would be staging ‘Pune Bandh’ strike.
After such severe reactions from people, Mrs. Rajalakshmi Bhosale, the Mayor of Pune has given orders to re-construct the temple immediately. Members of ‘Dalit Yuvak Andolan’ and ‘Lahuji Shakti Sena’ went to PMC office to give a representation to the Municipal Commissioner but it was not accepted. Therefore, the members went to the office of Additional Dy. Commissioner Shri. Thube and asked him that why they were not taken into confidence before demolishing the temple. Shri. Thube drove all the members out of his office. The angry mob started breaking the office furniture, computers and broke window glass panes. The mob then came on the road and broke window panes of PMT buses as also of a private vehicle. Deccan police have registered cases against 3 members. The party workers said that the alternate place offered by PMC for the temple is on a nullah and they have advised PMC that it was not acceptable to them.
Shri. Thube said that the temple was creating obstacle in the road-widening and correspondence was going on with the trustees since the year 2000. He said that nobody would be spared if there are obstacles in road-widening process.
In the PMC meeting, the above incident raised severe reactions. Many corporators protested that the concerned were not taken into confidence before taking such action. It was asked whether the trustees were advised. Shri. Mathkari said that the temple on Mumbai-Pune road is not only of religious significance but also has historic importance. He also asked that why no action was being taken against Adambaug mosque and Subhanshah durgah. There was also objection to the alternative place offered for the temple on a nullah. Hindu temples are demolished as Hindu Dharma has no defenders.
(PMC’s action reminds one of Mughal attacks on Hindu temples. Such insolent administrators forget that they are public servants. Shri. Thube now saying that nobody would be spared if there are obstacles in road-widening process then why did not he apply the rule to shifting of Subhanshah Durgah? – Editor)
Source: ‘ Daily Sanatan Prabhat ‘
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