In a major development, the demolition of an over 100-year-old temple in Pakistan’s Punjab to expand a local madrassa has sparked reactions from various leaders and officials.
The people who demolished the temple reportedly belonged to the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP). The party has urged the government to take action against the individuals who were involved in the demolition. He added that the lease was later cancelled after the rent allegedly remained unpaid for years. Rattan Lal, a Hindu community leader, condemned the demolition of the temple and urged the government to restore the structure.
The government, on the other hand, has claimed that the temple collapsed due to torrential rains. Rana Iftikhar, an ETPB senior official, said that the temple collapsed because of torrential rains, according to PTI.
The report said that a political party, local residents, and minority bodies stated that a group of religious zealots demolished the temple. It was demolished to include its land in an adjacent seminary, according to them. Following this, several people occupied it illegally, according to Sahotra. “The district administration and the ETPB failed to take adequate measures to protect the site or remove the alleged occupants, ultimately allowing the temple to be demolished,” Lal said.
