Bhubaneswar: Following the decision to restore natural drainage system in the Capital to solve waterlogging woes, a joint team of the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC), Bhubaneswar Development Authority and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) Saturday razed a portion allegedly encroached upon by Iskcon. However, police resorted to mild lathi charge due to stiff resistance by the religious sect’s disciples at the spot, injuring at least six persons.
Around 10am Saturday, the team reached Iskcon temple with three JCB machines. According to a BMC press release, “During the eviction process four squads from BDA-BMC, two platoons of APR police, one section of women police from the Commissionerate Police, a team with fire brigade from Odisha Fire Services were present with one enforcement squad of Bhubaneswar Smart City Limited. Four excavators were pressed into service.”
ACP of Zone V, Kishore Chandra Mund, and the IIC of Nayapalli Police station were present at the spot. While demolishing the Samadhi Peeth of Iskcon Guru Gaur Govind Swami, the enraged disciples started opposing the drive. Suddenly, they surrounded the Samadhi area and started Sankirtan (chanting of sacred mantras). Subsequently, both the authorities and the disciples entered into heated arguments for more than an hour.
The high drama ended after the intervention of police personnel who entered the Samadhi area and forcefully removed the disciples from the spot. In the meantime, the disciples allegedly hurled stones at the police officials. At least six persons were injured from both the sides, including two officials of eviction team, a police constable identified as Ramakant Swain and an auto rickshaw driver Nalini Kantha Tripathy.
On the other hand, a member of Iskcon management committee, Radhakant Das, accused the authorities of high-handedness. He said, “Some mischief mongers among the onlookers threw milk and stones at the agitating disciples following which our disciples threw stones.” Three of the Iskcon devotees – Prasanna Nayak, Bubhu Prasad Das and Biswak Sen – also sustained injuries.
“We received the show cause notice Thursday afternoon after which we tried to contact the Deputy Commissioner of BDA, its Additional Commissioner Bhabani Shankar Chayani over phone in order to seek some time to shift the structure, but he did not pick up the phone. We also wrote to the BMC authorities. The action in such a short span of time is injustice to us,” he added.
However, after a few minutes police whisked away all the disciples and the demolition ended. BMC sources said that 2,400 sq ft of NHAI land was made free from encroachments in front of Iskcon temple. The eviction drive at the shrine and the nearby Krishna Plaza will help in executing the Master Plan to widen the drainage system and reduce waterlogging.
An FIR was also lodged with the Nayapalli Police by the enforcement officer of BDA against the unruly behaviour shown by the Iskcon devotees.
Earlier this month, the BMC has issued a show-cause notice to the president of the Iskcon temple over encroachment and unauthorised construction of shops on the land earmarked as ‘right of way’ adjoining the NH 16.
The notice has stated that the encroachment has prevented smooth flow of rainwater causing insanitary condition in the area. It has further stated that why action should not be taken against them for the unauthorised encroachment and the utilisation of the space reserved for ‘right of the way’ for commercial purposes.
PNN