Days after the Coimbatore city corporation demolished seven Hindu temples on the lake bund of Muthannankulam, several devotees, Hindu activists, took to the streets of Coimbatore to protests against the demolition drive of Hindu temples.
According to the reports, Hindu activists members of Hindu Munnani protested outside the corporation office at Town Hall in Coimbatore on Friday to condemn the civic body for the demolition drive.
On Tuesday, the Coimbatore City Corporation had demolished seven temples, including a 100-year-old temple, along the Muthanankulam bund in the city. The corporation had claimed that the temples were built on the encroached land along the northern bund of the tank.
Condemning the demolition, Hindu Munnani state president Kadeswara Subramaniam said, “When P V Narasimha Rao was the Prime Minister, an Act was passed in Parliament prohibiting demolition of temples older than 75 years. But the Coimbatore corporation demolished temples that were centuries-old. We strongly condemn the demolition”.
#Photostory
— SimpliCityCoimbatore (@simplicitycbe) July 16, 2021
Hindu Munnani protests besieging Corporation office against demolition of temples in encroached areas in Muthannankulam.#Venue: Townhall, Coimbatore pic.twitter.com/fITqV7klhx
The Hindu activist also added that several government offices, including the Tirupur collector’s office, are on temple lands, hence those buildings should be removed from the lands.
“The Hindu religious and charitable endowment (HR&CE) minister has been saying that the department will retrieve temple lands and protect temples. He should reveal information regarding,” Subramaniam said.
Hindu Munnai state secretary JS Kishorekumar accused the Coimbatore corporation of deliberately targeting temples in the name of removing encroachments and claimed that temples as old as 150 years old were demolished in the city.
Earlier, Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) had also condemned the demolition of temples and protested in Gandhi Park in Coimbatore.
Demolition drive of temples in Coimbatore
On Tuesday, several Coimbatore civic body officials landed near Muthanankulam bund to carry out demolition drives of seven temples. In the presence of officials, earthmovers demolished Amman Kovil, Bannari Amman Kovil, Angala Parameswari, Karupparayan Kovil, Muneeswaran Kovil and a few other temples.
Six of the remaining idols present inside these temples were given away to the public, while officials took away one idol to keep at the corporation office. Last year, the corporation had also moved nearly 2,400 families from the tank bund after demolishing their houses, citing encroachment of the lake.
This happened in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu.
— Alter Ego (@Alter_Ego45) July 15, 2021
Stalin govt demolished 7 temples and as usual no outrage! Keep sleeping and see the great fall.
Hail SecuIarism ✊
Who will #SaveHinduTemples ? ? pic.twitter.com/ycpW8IDewd
They were provided with alternative housing by the Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board.
The demolition of seven temples, especially a 100-year-old, had fueled massive outrage on social media platforms. Netizens had accused MK Stalin-led DMK government of attacking century-old Hindu temples in Tamil Nadu.
