2006 Lahore temple demolition

The 2006 Lahore temple demolition refers to the demolition of a Hindu temple in the city of Lahore in Pakistan on May 27,2006 by regional officials.

Demolition Incident

The Evacuee Trust Board had previously allocated a sum of Rs 1.2 million in January 2005 for the renovation and extension of the Hindu temple. The temple had been badly damaged in clashes that took place after the demolition of the Babri Mosque in India in the 1990s. [http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1035324 DNA - World - Save or ruin temple: Board can’t decide - Daily News & Analysis ] ] The website of the Minorities Affairs Division of the Pakistan government states that the tender for the renovation and extension of the temple was awarded on March 31, 2005 and over half of the work had been completed by June 30, 2005. The temple was to be completely restored by June 2006.

On May 2006, the temple was destroyed to pave the way for construction of a multi-storied commercial building. The temple was demolished after officials of the Evacuee Property Trust Board concealed facts from the board chairman about the nature of the building. When reporters from Pakistan-based newspaper "Dawn" tried to cover the incident, they were accosted by the henchmen of the property developer, who denied that a Hindu temple existed at the site [ [http://www.dawn.com/2006/05/28/nat23.htm Another temple is no more] ,"Dawn"] .

According to the priest of the demolished temple, Kashi Ram, many opposition members of the National Assembly belonging to the Pakistan Peoples Party and Pakistan Muslim League, had attempted to block the demolition by moving a motion in Parliament. However, powerful members of the ruling party considered close to the builders, in collusion with EPTB chairman, Lt Gen Zulfiqar Ali Khan, blocked the efforts and got the temple demolished.

National Response

Several political parties in Pakistan have objected to this move, such as the Pakistan People's party and the Pakistani Muslim League-N [ [http://us.rediff.com/news/2006/jun/13temple.htm Hindu temple in Lahore demolished] ,"Rediff.com"] [ [http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1643844.cms Only Hindu Temple in Lahore demolished] ,"Times of India"] .They reportedly moved a motion against the demolition, saying such an act could have a bearing on Pakistan's relations with neighboring countries. [ [http://72.14.209.104/search?q=cache%3Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fus.rediff.com%2Fnews%2F2006%2Fjun%2F13temple.htm&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a] ] Pakistan denied that the "official" temple in Lahore was demolished, saying that the actual temple was situated in a different place [ [http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/7598_1723018,000500020000.htm] ] and that it is in "excellent condition". [ [http://www.hindu.com/2006/06/17/stories/2006061704131500.htm The Hindu : International / India & World : Pakistan denies reports of demolition of Krishna temple ] ] However, these assertions have been disputed [ [http://www.indiadaily.com/editorial/10365.asp IndiaDaily - Lahore temple still intact : who is Pakistan kidding? ] ] , with evidence that the EPTB had concealed the fact that the demolished structure was, in fact, a temple. [ [http://www.dawn.com/2006/06/13/nat16.htm EPTB men ‘concealed facts’: Krishna Mandir demolition -DAWN - National; June 13, 2006 ] ]

Legal action

A firm of lawyers representing the Hindu minority has approached the Lahore High Court seeking a directive to the builders to stop the construction of the commercial plaza and reconstruct the temple at the site. The petitioners maintain that the demolition violates section 295 of the Pakistan Penal Code prohibiting the demolition of places of worship. [ [http://archive.gulfnews.com/articles/06/06/16/10047337.html Order for temple's reconstruction sought] ,"Gulf News"]

International response

The move has also evoked strong condemnation from in India from minority bodies and political parties, including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Congress Party, as well as Muslim advocacy political parties such as the All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat [ [http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1651762.cms India protests demolition of Hindu temple in Pak] ,"Times of India"]

Amid growing condemnation of the demolition of the only temple in Lahore, the Indian government said on June, 2006 that it has ‘taken up’ the matter with the Pakistan High Commission. [ [http://www.indiadaily.com/editorial/9781.asp IndiaDaily - Pakistan failed to protect Sri Krishna temple in lahore - India questions Pakistani act of explicit religious targeting ] ] [ [http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1652060.cms India lodges protest over Lahore temple demolition-India-The Times of India ] ] [ [http://www.tribuneindia.com/2006/20060615/main6.htm The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Main News ] ]

References

ee also

*Persecution of Hindus
*Temples in Lahore