Temple demolition leads to protests in Ahmedabad

A Hindu temple is demolished in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, in the pretext that a larger building was built. In general I have a personal opinion that we should not build temples at government land, at on in the middle of very crowded road or junction, and temples should be built properly in a proper place where environment should be positive. Still, we can't stop people from worshiping and such situations arise. Looking at the details of the case at below link, it appears that the authorities should have at least served prior notice and abrupt demolition in this manner would only create disharmony and spread negativity in the society. Secondly, if a construction is illegal, it should be stopped during its construction, rather than after being ready and people starting to offer prayers. In my opinion, police action appears too harsh and they should apologize to the priest and immediately return the idol back. In fact not returning idol of a temple appears inhuman and dictatorial and it should be condemned. 

Temple demolition leads to protests by residentsExpress News Service | Ahmedabad | July 1, 2014 2:19 pm 

Demolition of a Hanuman temple on the drive-in road in Ahmedabad by Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) led to prorests by residents Tuesday morning. The city police was deployed at the site to control the situation. 

The temple priest who is sitting on a fast near the demolished site claimed that there was no prior notice or information by the municipal authorities before carrying out the demolition drive of this 40 year old relatively small temple that took place on Monday night. 

Estate Officer H R Shah said, “The priest had built a much larger structure so it had to be demolished. There is no need to serve any prior notice for this kind of demolition drive.” On returning of the idol Shah said that if the temple priest assures the original structure to be retained they would return the idol. 

Complete news: http://indianexpress.com/article/cities/ahmedabad/temple-demolition-leads-to-protests-by-residents/

Tension after removal of loudspeaker from temple

All over India, prayers are offered from Muslim places of worship by loud speakers. Even in localities where majority of population are Hindus or non-Muslims, we find small structure or house from whose roof-top such loud speakers broadcast prayers in a language which most do not understand and several times a day. Even though this causes inconvenience to the population, this practice has been going on for a long time without Hindus protesting against this custom. In this light, it is surprising that Muslims should protest against loud speakers being used in Hindu temples in localities where they are majority. Below news item tells about such a sad news. We hope the police and the government allow the loudspeaker in the temple, otherwise at least treat each religion on the same standards. If Hindu temples in predominantly Muslim areas can't keep loudspeakers, then is it fine for Muslim places of worship keeping loudspeakers in areas dominated by Hindus?

UP: BJP calls mahapanchayat against removal of loudspeaker from temple

Express News Service | Lucknow | July 1, 2014 2:18 am

Tension started brewing in the area after police removed the loudspeaker from a temple in Akbarpur Chendri village of the district on Thursday. Protesting against the action, a large number of shops in the local market have remained closed since Friday and a group of locals, including some right-wing organisation members, clashed with the police in Kanth town the same day during a road blockade against the removal of the loudspeaker. Later, 19 people were booked for attacking the policemen.

BJP’s leader Bhupendra Singh claimed the loudspeaker has been at the temple for last 40 years and was removed at the behest of the Peace Party MLA.

Complete news: http://indianexpress.com/article/india/politics/up-bjp-calls-mahapanchayat-against-removal-of-loudspeaker-from-temple/

Three Hindu Temples attacked in Pakistan

New report from PTI tells about three Hindu Temples attacked in Pakistan. Five persons have been arrested for the crime. It should be noted that such news items prompt quite frequently and governments in Pakistan should do their best to stop this trend. 

3 Hindu temples attacked in Pakistan, 5 persons arrested

2014-05-30 05:30:00 Karachi:

Three Hindu temples in Pakistan's Sindh province have been desecrated, drawing strong protests from the community after which police arrested five persons in connection with the attacks. "Unknown men entered three Hindu temples in the Kot Ghulam Mohammad area near Mirpurkhas yesterday and smashed the idols of Hindu deities," SSP Jam Zafarullah said today. "The temples of Shiv, Khaitpar and Khusshal Puri were attacked," he said.

The attacks prompted a strong reaction from the Hindu community who demanded the arrest of the culprits. "The police used sniffer dogs to track down the accused from the area and five of them were under arrest," he said. 

When asked about the attack on a prominent Hindu temple in Larkana earlier in the month where the mob after looting it set it ablaze, the police official said they are two different cases. "Attacks on Hindu places of worship had grown this year in the area and this was a cause of great concern to the Hindu community," Khem Chand, a local Hindu leader, said. 

(C) Sify Ref:
http://www.sify.com/news/3-hindu-temples-attacked-in-pakistan-5-persons-arrested-news-international-of3vEjbeacf.html

Beef thrown at Temple Idol in Orissa

In a shocking incident, beef was thrown at an idol of Goddess Laxmi at a community puja pandal in Orissa's Sundargarh district. This resulted in a large number of people protesting against the incident and demanding arrest of the culprits. Good news is that two people were arrested on the charges for the crime, namely Fransis Ekka and Ajit Munda. Two kgs of beef has also been seized from near the idol. However it is claimed that the main culprit is at large. 

We hope all culprits are arrested soon and brought to the book. We also hope that the whole incident is probed to find out any bigger conspiracy in order to stop such an incident happening again. 

Ref: Two arrested for throwing beef at idol in Orissa; PTI, Sunday, October 4, 2009

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_two-arrested-for-throwing-beef-at-idol-in-orissa_1294968

Flood-hit temple town Mantralayam in AP

We get to know about flood hit temple town Mantralayam in Andhra Pradesh though below news report published in DNA on October 4, 2009:

An absolute silence prevails in the famous temple town of Mantralayam in Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh, which was ravaged by the floods in the river Tungabhadra - a tributary of Krishna river. The holy town, otherwise bustling with pilgrims, wore a deserted look with the town remaining under several feet of flood water for the past three days. 

People across India throng Mantralayam, situated on the bank of the Tungabhadra, to offer their prayers at Raghavendra Swamiji's Brindavan (where swamiji attained live samadhi). 

Though, the water-level has receded today, but, not the woes of the people, particularly pilgrims who saved their lives by moving to rooftops of the buildings surrounding the Raghavendra Swamiji's mutt, when the town was marooned. After the water level receded today, the district administration has begun cleaning up the debris and lifting the bodies of humans and scores of cattle that were strewn in the streets, official sources said adding that relief and medical camps were set up in the temple town.

(c) and detailed news: http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_uneasy-calm-in-flood-hit-temple-town-mantralayam-in-ap_1295039