Temple demolition in Nagaland enrages BJP leaders

Tension clouds Kohima after temple demolition

Kohima, Nagaland, India., Nov. 19 - BJP leaders in Nagaland have expressed unhappiness over alleged demolition of the only Hindu temple in the capital of this pre-dominantly Christian state, located near the new state police headquarters, to be inaugurated by Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani next month.

"The Radha-Krishna temple near the newly-constructed police headquarters in Kohima was demolished early this month on the ground that it was a disturbance to the police," state BJP sources said here.

Though police maintain that due permission was taken from the Secretary and priest of the temple society, BJP leaders allege that the temple authorities were "forced" to do so.

"It seems that the temple authorities were forced to sign the agreement to shift the temple," they said.

Advani is scheduled to inaugurate the newly-built Police Headquarters on December two, they said.

The state BJP leaders have also met the Nagaland Home Minister and expressed displeasure over the move to shift the temple six km away from the state police headquarters.

"If the temple has to be shifted, we urge the government to build it in the heart of the town. It is the only temple there," the sources claimed.

The temple was constructed with funds collected from the local population, they claimed.

Even after assurances from the Nagaland Home Minister, there were reports that the temple would be constructed six km away from the police headquarters, they claimed.