BJP accuses AAP of ordering demolition of 24 temples in Delhi, says biggest anti-Hindu party in India

BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla. (Pic/X)

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla on Friday accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of ordering the demolition of 24 temples in Delhi between 2016 and 2023, reported news agency ANI.

Poonawalla cited documents and said that from 2016 to 2023, AAP leaders had issued orders to demolish 24 temples in Delhi.

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"The documents that have come into the public domain through the media clearly show that there is no party more deceitful in this country and the world than the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). Those who accuse others, what is their own history? From 2016 to 2023, documents with signatures show how the AAP Chief Minister and Ministers issued fatwas to demolish nearly 24 structures," Poonawalla told ANI.

Poonawala alleged that in 2016, the then Home Minister Satyendra Jain had signed orders to demolish eight temples while intervening to save two unidentified mosques, stated ANI.

"In 2016, a fatwa to demolish 8 temples was issued under the signature of Satyendra Jain, who was the Home Minister at the time. The interesting thing is that Satyendra Jain intervened to save two unidentified mosques that had no historical background, but he never spoke out about the temples," he said.

Poonawalla accused the Aam Aadmi Party of being the "biggest anti-Hindu party" in India and questioned its silence on the attacks on Sanatan Dharma by its alliance partners such as the DMK, TMC and the Congress.

"Today, the biggest anti-Hindu party is the Aam Aadmi Party. They and their alliance partners, DMK, TMC, Left and Congress, always speak against Sanatan Dharma, however, AAP says nothing in response. And now they claim they will give compensation to the priests," he said.

Delhi CM Atishi on Wednesday had accused the BJP of ordering the demolition of several temples in Delhi. She further accused the BJP of pretending to protect Hinduism while secretly instructing officials and the LG to destroy temples.

Addressing a press conference, Atishi said, "The dual face of the BJP is revealed through such orders. On the one hand, they pretend to protect Hinduism, while on the other, they secretly instruct their appointed officers and LG to demolish temples."

She stated that during a meeting of the Religious Committee on November 22, it was decided to demolish several temples located in West Patel Nagar, Dilshad Garden, Seemapuri, Gokalpuri, New Usmanpur, and Sultanpuri, as well as a Buddhist temple in Sundar Nagari, reported ANI.

(With inputs from ANI)