Bulldozer row: Mayawati raises concern over demolition of religious places, homes of poor

Bahujan Samaj Party chief and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati on Saturday raised concerns over the demolitions of "religious places and residences of poor" in the recent past in both Bharatiya Janata Party and Congress-ruled states.

"Even in the Congress Raj of Alwar, Rajasthan, demolition of a temple under the guise of encroachment and similar demolitions of religious places and residences of poor in BJP-ruled state in the name of encroachment is disgusting politics. It weakens our Constitution and all these should be stopped immediately," Mayawati tweeted.

The BSP supremo was referring to the bulldozing of a 300-year-old Shiva temple in Alwar and the anti-encroachment drive in Delhi's Jahangirpuri.

Along with the temple, 86 shops, and homes were demolished with bulldozers in Rajasthan's Alwar district on April 18, to pave the way for a road.

An anti-encroachment drive was carried out by the BJP ruled North Municipal Corporation of Delhi in the national capital's Jahangirpuri area on April 20.

Similar anti-encroachment drives have been seen in recent times in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.

( With inputs from ANI )