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Amid the brewing controversy over the 300-year-old Shiva temple demolition in Alwar, the Rajasthan government suspended three officials, including a Sub-Divisional Magistrate, on Monday, 25 April.

The suspended officials include Rajgarh Municipality Board’s chairman Satish Duharia, Executive Officer of the Nagar Panchayat Banwari Lal Meena, and Rajgarh SDM Keshav Kumar Meena.

The row and subsequent developments erupted after a 300-year-old Shiva temple was demolished using bulldozers at Sarai Mohalla, Rajgarh, in the Alwar district last week. Besides the Shiva temple, 86 shops and homes were also demolished with bulldozers in Rajasthan’s Alwar district on Sunday(24 April) to clear the way for a road.

Earlier on Monday, a PIL was filed in the Rajasthan High Court against the demolition of a 300-year-old Shiva temple in the city of Alwar, in which the Rajasthan Chief Minister(CM) Ashok Gehlot, along with District Collector, Executive Officer, Sub Divisional Magistrate, Municipality and others have been made the party.

The PIL said the demolition drive in Rajgarh was carried out in an unconstitutional manner in which temples, including the ancient Shiva temple as well as shops, were demolished by the state government in the name of a master plan. 

In the PIL, it was stated that by vandalising the Shiva temple in an unconstitutional way and manner, the sentiments of Hindu society have been hurt, and the fundamental rights of innocent people have been violated.

As the encroachment drive took a political turn, Rajasthan Congress chief GS Dotasara said, “Removal of Alwar temple’s encroachment started during the previous rule of Bharathiya Janata Party government saying that Congress disturbs temples and idols, is wrong. This has always been BJP’s agenda. As polls come, they spread religious unrest to make political chapatis.”

Rajasthan Congress had also alleged that Vasundhara Raje was the CM when the saffron party had promised a road called the “Gaurav Path” at the very place where the demolitions took place.