Mumbai mayor to meet Prithviraj Chavan for regularising religious structures

Mumbai mayor Shraddha Jadhav said she would meet chief minister Prithviraj Chavan to "regularise" religious structures built prior to December 2009.

"Since the chief minister has not given us an appointment to talk about the grave issue of demolition of religious structures in the city, we intend to stand in a queue and meet him like a common man," Jadhav said.

Following the Supreme Court order, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on March 3, issued a circular saying that the structures, built prior to April 17,1964, should submit the documentary evidence within 15 days and those failing to do so shall be demolished.

The civic body has issued notices to over 700 religious structures and demolished over 60 of them including temples, mosques and crosses before suspending the drive till March 18 after receiving instructions from the state government.

Jadhav had written a letter to Chavan about the clause of the year 1964 and also asked for an appointment in this regard. But there has been no response from the chief minister, she said.

"We all including the group leaders in Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will meet chief minister to stay the ongoing action against religious structures. Also, we would ask to regularise such structures prior to December 2009 as the Supreme Court order came around the same time," the mayor said.

The Supreme Court order does not mention the clause regarding the cut off date of 1964. Then why this clause has been put, she said.