BMC demolishes holy cross, Christian community fumes
April 30, 2017 by admin
Filed under India, newsletter-india
Mumbai, April 30, 2017: Mumbai civic body Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) decision to demolish a cross at Bandra in Mumbai sparks controversy. Members of the Christian community in the area allege there is selective action by the civic body, demand action against the Assistant Municipal Commissioner who carried out the act and want Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to intervene over the issue.
The residents of the area say the cross was on a private property and not on any public or disputed property. They say it should be restored to its original place.
The locals say they have photographs and evidence to prove that the cross has been there at the particular place since 1895, and the court order which says illegal religious structures should be removed from public places should not apply to this structure since it is on a private land.
A resident says though they have provided evidence to the civic body officials, it has not been taken into considerations and termed the razing of the structure as an ‘unjust’ act.
A formal complaint has been given by the residents at the local police station. An FIR is yet to be registered over the issue.
– times now
It is absolutely clear that the decision to demolish the cross is politically motivated. On the one hand the BMC is going hammer and tongs over the issue of so-called illegal religious structures of the Christian Community. On the other hand it is turning a Nelson’s eye to the actual illegal religious structures of the majority community. Take for instance the temple in front of Malad station. Its extensions had several years ago been trimmed short of demolition. But as soon as the BJP Government came to power in Maharashtra, that illegal structure was spruced up in marble and chrome. Not only that temple but also smaller shrines in the vicinity, two in the market area, were extended and done up at the same time.