The Gujarat government has demolished 108 Mazars in the state, the Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghavi informed the Assembly on Wednesday (22nd February). Sanghvi added that the Bhupendra Patel-led government will continue the anti-encroachment drive against any encroachment that crops up as “part of a conspiracy”.
The Minister was speaking during the discussion on the budgetary demands of the Home and Transport departments.
During the address, Sanghavi referred to an earlier speech of BJP MLA Amit Shah, who had spoken about the relocation of idols from a Jain temple at Jamalpur in Ahmedabad when Congress was in power in the state.
“Today, the point mentioned by Amitbhai…he said that a derasar was removed in Jamalpur. Now, Dada’s (Bhupendra Patel) bulldozer is moving around in every nook and corner of the state so that no temple or devasthan can be removed while hatching a conspiracy. Nobody knows where will it (bulldozer) go,” Sanghavi said.
The minister questioned the sudden cropping up of the mazars in Uparkot. “In Uparkot, it was not known where (and when) all mazars were built. How can it be built suddenly?” Sanghavi said.
He added that in all, 108 mazars have been demolished and the state’s properties have been opened. “The encroachment around Somnath has been removed. This bulldozer of Dada can enter a 20-ft wide street and an 80-m wide road,” he said adding that the bulldozer is ready to demolish any encroachment which is part of a conspiracy.
Inaugurated by the Gujarat CM in September 2023, the government has restored the historic Uparkot fort for Rs 74 crore. Moreover, the CM said that the anti-encroachment drive that started from Dwarka has reached Porbandar, Ahmedabad, Surat, Pavagadh, Gir Somnath and Jamnagar.
