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Kanpur has 120 closed and encroached temples in a Muslim-predominant area

Female Mayor frees 5 encroached temples

Pramila Pandey, Mayor of Kanpur

Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh) – City Mayor Pramila Pandey started inspection of the closed temples in Sambhal, Bareilly and Aligarh in Muslim majority parts. She found five temples that were closed and in dilapidated condition. There were shops selling biryani at some of these places. Now, the illegal encroachment has been removed and a cleaning operation has been undertaken. Puja is also being performed every day. It is stated that there are more than 120 such temples in the city.

On 21st December 2024, Mayor Pramila Pandey reached Becon Ganj along with the Police force. In June 2022, Muslims had attacked the Police, condemning the statement allegedly insulting Prophet Mohammad, made by  BJP leader Nupur Sharma. Mayor Pandey got information about illegal activities going on in many temples.

Mayor Pramila Pandey found five such temples within thirty minutes and found the illegal activities carried on there; so also, observed the dilapidated condition of those temples. Among them, Ram-Janaki temple topped the list. This temple was in the possession of Mukhtar Baba, the main accused in the 2022- violence in Kanpur. Biryani was cooked behind this temple. The local residents claim that a very small part of this temple, which was spread over a 100 sq yard area earlier, is now remaining.

The second such temple is Radha-Krushna Temple. It is in a very run-down condition. A third temple of Mahadev Shiva was also found in the area where only remnants of Shivalinga were found inside the temple. There is a residential area behind the temple. After Shiva Mandir, the Mayor and her administrative team found another Radha-Krushna Mandir. Its door was closed. When the temple door was opened, it was found to be filled with garbage. Mayor Pandey immediately ordered the illegal occupants to vacate the temple.

Mayor Pandey declared that regular puja would be started after all such temples were found and revived. She informed that inquiry would be conducted into the lost idols in these temples.

As per the survey conducted by Kanpur Municipal Corporation (KMC), there are about 120 temples in the Muslim predominant areas in the city which are presently closed. After the action taken by the Administration, Muslims have started claiming that they are not the encroachers but the guards of these temples.

Nafees, staying behind Ram-Janaki Temple, said, “You can open the temples. We are not in any way associated with it. Temple and house are separate. The area was earlier the old Sarafa bazar where all Hindus used to stay. Later, they shifted to Hindu majority areas. After the 1992 riots, temples were vandalised everywhere. He also claimed that the Muslims protected the temple.

Editorial Perspective

It is commendable that the BJP’s female Mayor took initiative and went to the Muslim- predominant area and freed these temples. Why are the Police, Administrations and rulers from other cities and State inactive ? The local Hindu organisations in the respective parts should take initiative in searching such closed temples in the Muslim-predominant areas and exert pressure on the Government for protection of these temples.

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