Lodha’s protest against demolished Jain temple is a mere game: Aaditya Thackeray

MUMBAI: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray has attacked Mumbai suburban co-guardian minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha on the issue of the Jain temple demolition at Vile Parle on April 16. The BMC’s demolition squad landed up at the temple even as prayers were in progress, alleged Jain worshippers. Assistant commissioner Navnath Ghadge Patil, in-charge of K East Ward, under whose watch the drive was undertaken, was transferred following the uproar.

In a tweet on X, Aaditya, without directly naming Lodha, maintained that he was “just playing a game”. “He himself (is) the co-guardian minister of that district,” he said. “Who took action? The BMC, which runs through the Chief Minister’s Office. Where? In the area of the district where he is the co-custodian minister. So what exactly are they protesting?”

Aaditya said that BJP had every right to instruct the BMC not to take action till the case was heard in the courts, and asked why the party did not do so. He alleged that the party was lying to the Jain community and citizens. “The question is: as usual, the officer was changed, but when will action be taken against the culprits?” he tweeted.

The temple, managed by Shree 1008 Digambar Jain Mandir Trust, was built in 1962. Its counsel Ashok Sarogi said the BMC had demolished the temple even as an application for regularisation was pending. “There is adequate FSI available to allow regularisation of the structure, but without acknowledging the application for regularisation, the temple was demolished,” he said.

“On April 15, BMC had pasted a notice about the impending action; but they have done so several times in the past and no action followed,” said Mayur Jain, a protestor. “They took us away forcefully, not giving us time to secure the idols.”

MLA Parag Alavani said that Ghadge Patil could have waited for the court order, which came the same day. “Interestingly, the HC later issued a status quo order, but by then, the temple had already been almost completely demolished,” he said.

Lodha did not respond to calls from this newspaper.