M A I N   N E W S

Govt-ashram showdown imminent
Removal of encroachments
Bijendra Ahlawat

Faridabad, February 27
A showdown appears imminent between the Siddhata Ashram temple complex here and the state government on the issue of the removal of encroachments from the ashram on January 8. The trust, which is running the ashram and the temple, has now involved sadhus and members of the sant community to protest against the action and get its three-point demands met by the state government.

About 700 sadhus and sants have assembled at the temple complex situated on the Surajkund road here. The sadhus, who have conducted several discussions and meetings with the temple trust, have announced the holding of a rally in Delhi tomorrow and will meet the Prime Minister to seek his intervention. The mahant and the ashram trust have intensified their efforts to raise the issue at the highest possible level. The demolition of the alleged encroachment was done when mahant Swami Sudarshanacharya had gone to the Mahakumbh mela at Allahabad.

The temple trust held a public rally on February 18 here, at the Dasehra grounds to attract the attention of the local residents. But due to the “involvement” of political parties the rally could not attract crowds. At the rally the trust had served an ultimatum that it would step up its agitation from February 28 if their demands were not met by February 26.

Over 500 representatives of various “maths” across the country have arrived at the ashram to express their solidarity on the issue. The trust also got a shot in the arm recently when the secretary-general of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Mr Ashok Singhal, paid a visit to the ashram and demanded that the state government should not only apologise for the action but also take action against the officials responsible, and handover the land to the trust.

A group of sadhus took out a procession in the town today to seek the support of the local residents. They alleged that the state government was discriminating in its approach as several “mazars” raised on public or government land had been spared.

On other hand the district authorities and HUDA claim that the demolition was proper and justified. They have stated that some structures were illegally raised by the temple authorities and the land belonged to HUDA. Several notices were served time and again but the encroachments were not removed by the temple trust.