Locals demand reopening of temple Varanasi admin searches for ownership papers

Varanasi (UP), Dec 18 (PTI) The district administration here has started looking for the ownership papers of a temple closed for four decades after a group of people demanded it to be reopened, officials said on Wednesday.
     Additional District Magistrate (City) Alok Verma said, "We came to know about this temple through newspapers. In the next three-four days, we will probe it."
     "Our team of legal advisors is looking into its ownership. If the temple is declared public property, then it will be opened for everyone," he said.
     The team of Kashi Vidvat Parishad is searching the scriptures to know who established the temple, which has been closed for decades, and also to know its antiquity.
     Professor Ramnarayan Dwivedi, General Secretary of the parishad, said, "Our team is studying the 'puranas' and other ancient texts to know the antiquity and mythological importance of the closed temple in Madanpura area of Kashi."
     "We are also brainstorming that if this temple is closed, then what is the proper way to reopen it for worship. We will also find out the ownership of this temple through legal methods," he said.
     "As soon as we get information about the history of the temple, we will request the administration to reopen it for regular worship, keeping in mind the sentiments of the people," Dwivedi said.
     On Monday, several people led by Sanatan Raksha Dal's Uttar Pradesh president Ajay Sharma, gathered in the Madanpura area here, demanding that the temple be reopened.
     Sharma clarified that the effort to reopen the temple is not to cause any dispute or conflict.
     "It is located in an area now predominantly inhabited by members of the Muslim community. The temple premises is filled with dirt and debris," he said.
     Sharma claimed that the surrounding land, once owned by Hindus, is now inhabited mostly by Muslim families, leading to the temple being abandoned over time.
     A team of district administration and police officials reached the temple on Tuesday to look into its ownership papers.
     DCP (Kashi Zone) Gaurav Banswal said that according to the locals, the temple has been closed for about 40 years.
     "Nobody knows who has the keys. Now, some organisations have demanded that the lock be opened and worship be restarted there. Revenue and administration teams are investigating the matter," he said.
     "Old records are being searched and all legal processes will be followed," the police officer said, adding the locals have no objection to the reopening of the temple.
     He said that Provincial Armed Constabulary personnel had been deployed and they were patrolling the area.
     Ajay Sharma claimed that there was no opposition or controversy regarding the reopening of the temple.
     "The police have extended their cooperation while discussions with the mayor have also been held. We will soon clean the temple premises and resume traditional rituals and worship," he said.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)