Cuttack, Aug. 27: Orissa High Court today admitted a PIL seeking order to demolish the temples and religious structures constructed on the premises of government offices and police stations in the state.
The PIL, filed by Abhiram Mallick, 40, and Biranchi Narayan Naik, 42, both residents of the city, alleged that the authorities had failed to discharge their “constitutional, legal and social obligations” by allowing construction of these religious structures.
“The division bench of Justice Indrajit Mahanty and Justice B.N. Mohapatra, before which the PIL came up today, posted the matter for hearing after four weeks along with the state government’s reply,” petitioners’ counsel Kshirod Rout told The Telegraph.
“Notices were accordingly issued to the state chief secretary and the director-general of police to file their responses within four weeks,” Rout said.
The petitioners sought direction for inquiry by any independent agency into construction of temples on the premises of government offices and police stations “to take appropriate legal action against those behind construction and maintenance of the religious structures”.
In recent years, persons with vested interest have managed to build religious structures, mostly temples on the premises of government offices, police stations and on the campus of universities, colleges and even in the secretariat, the petition stated.
Citing information elicited through RTI, the petition stated that temples had come up at 10 of 18 police stations in Cuttack urban police district.
“Taking advantage of the higher authorities’ inaction, some employees in various government offices and police stations are also collecting funds from common people and observing rituals creating nuisance in the name of religion,” the petition alleged.
The petitioners said they had moved the general administration department secretary and the director-general of police several times and requested them to take steps to remove temples from the premises. “But, both had remained silent over the matter,” the petition alleged.
