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1. Sir,was the Emara Math,which has been demolished in d ongoing "beautification drive", an ugly & undesirable commercial structure?At least half a dozen Mathas which are as sacred as d Mangu Math have been destroyed,including d ones established by Shri Ramanujacharya.
2. The Raghunandan library, among the oldest libraries, has been demolished. The Languli Math and major portion of the Bada Akhada Math have been destroyed. In fact, devotees have a right to know if the "free consent" of the Mahants of d Maths was obtained before the demolitions.
3.The representatives of the Odisha Government are quick to respond to a single tweet of the CM of Punjab to assure him of d protection of Mangu Math because it was built by Shri Guru Nanak Dev ji.What about Mathas built by Shri Ramanujacharya & other Mathas? R de less important?
4. At the very least,the Odisha Government must stop lying about its ongoing demolition drive by claiming that only "ugly and undesirable commercial structures" are being razed to the ground. Let them present facts without distortion and honestly explain their move.
5. What appears to be happening is d demolition of heritage structures in d name of destroying illegal commercial establishments,instead of weeding out d commercial establishments from d premises of d Maths and around the Temple. The baby has been thrown out with the bathwater.
6. Even if some Maths had either turned a blind eye to or encouraged the commercialisation of their premises, why should the devotees pay the price? What gives the Government the right to demolish heritage which represents the past, citing the present in the name of the future?
7. Couldn't d Odisha Government have started with issuing a notice to all Maths giving them a deadline to evict and shut all commercial establishments within their premises?Maths belong to d Deity and hence the community of devotees. The utter disregard for Hindu rights is stark.
8. The area surrounding d Nizamuddin Dargah in Delhi is perhaps among d most congested anywhere in the country. The commercialisation of the surroundings couldn't be starker. Does any Government under any party have d guts to undertake a demolition drive the way it has in Puri?
9. If this is whataboutery, then you don't understand the concept of equal treatment by the State and should, perhaps, respectfully zip it. The worst part is that people who support the demolition don't realise that it is their own heritage that is demolished.
10. Was due process observed in giving the Maths proper notice and reasonable time to shut down the commercial establishments within their premises? Did the State Government offer enough police support to the Maths to facilitate such shutting of commercial establishments?
11. If the State Government did not do any of the above,then it has miserably failed to distinguish between d heritage and religious value of d Maths on d one hand,and the illegal commercial establishments on the other. Talk about bull dozing the issue, literally and otherwise.
12. Not surprisingly, none of the opposition parties in Odisha or any other party for that matter have raised any questions about the demolition drive. As long as heritage, culture and religion pave way for "Vikas", I guess all is well.
13. It is instances such as these that tell us if Indic groups, their concerns, their rights and their way of life have effective political representation. Clearly, they don't barring a few precious and honourable exceptions.
14. The @indiccollective has taken up d issue before the SC & will continue to do whatever it can to ensure that Indic rights have at least a voice in Court,whether d voice is heard or not.I will support d @indiccollective in its initiatives in my capacity as its legal mentor.
