Shrine drive unites faiths
THE TELEGRAPH
March 7, 2011
INDIA--A Supreme Court-ordered demolition drive in a lower-middle class Mumbai neighbourhood has seen a coming together of Hindus, Muslims and Christians, who have rushed to protect each other’s shrines. The demolitions in Byculla were carried out on Thursday by the Shiv Sena-run Brihanmumbai Corporation (BMC) as part of a Supreme Court-ordered drive against illegal religious structures obstructing traffic. But the show of unity that followed the crackdown is remarkable for a city that was among the worst hit by communal riots in the aftermath of the 1992 Babri demolition. A street-corner grotto — a cave housing a cross — built in 1936 was targeted, as were two temples, among them a 100-year-old Hanuman shrine. Today, the residents got together to rebuild the demolished cross and challenged the BMC to stop them. The protesters claimed the cross was “legal” and “of great significance to even non-Christians in the area”. [link]
March 7, 2011
INDIA--A Supreme Court-ordered demolition drive in a lower-middle class Mumbai neighbourhood has seen a coming together of Hindus, Muslims and Christians, who have rushed to protect each other’s shrines. The demolitions in Byculla were carried out on Thursday by the Shiv Sena-run Brihanmumbai Corporation (BMC) as part of a Supreme Court-ordered drive against illegal religious structures obstructing traffic. But the show of unity that followed the crackdown is remarkable for a city that was among the worst hit by communal riots in the aftermath of the 1992 Babri demolition. A street-corner grotto — a cave housing a cross — built in 1936 was targeted, as were two temples, among them a 100-year-old Hanuman shrine. Today, the residents got together to rebuild the demolished cross and challenged the BMC to stop them. The protesters claimed the cross was “legal” and “of great significance to even non-Christians in the area”. [link]
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