Delhi MCD demolishes Shabil at Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib

The Piao (drinking water booth) of Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib in the heart of Chandni Chowk was today forcefully demolished by bull dozers by Delhi MCD with the support of Police. The Piao served as a water drinking area for lakhs of people visiting the religious place of worship of the Sikhs.

The demolition of a piao (drinking water booth) was carried out nearly 6 a.m. in the morning by the BJP-ruled North Delhi Municipal Corporation and Shahjahanabad Redevelopment Corporation (SRDC) under Delhi police security.
Dozens of police personnel were deployed for the demolition drive. Minutes later, the Gurdwara Sis Ganj management committee stopped officials from the demolition and a crowd gathered.

Sikhs gathered in large amount outside the Gurudwara and started protesting against the action of the MCD

Delhi police in-turn assaulted the sangat and badly beaten them.

Manager of the Gurdwara, Balwant Singh Pandher said police, along with the MCD officials, reached the Gurdwara at around 6 am.
“We were not informed and they did not even serve us a notice. First they demolished the barriers erected near the water booth on the road, and later also demolished the water booth. We tried to stop them,” said Pandher.

The demolition triggered an exchange of words as the BJP attacked the AAP government over it. The government denied the charges.
The BJP claimed the Delhi government Public Works Department (PWD) conducted the demolition and not the North corporation, which is ruled by the BJP.
However, a senior North corporation official said the civic body undertook the demolition as per the directions of the SRDC.
Nitin Panigrahi, nodal officer for SRDC, confirmed the demolition was carried out by the North corporation with the support of Delhi police.
“It was a High Court order and SRDC has no part to play in this. We have to file a reply in court on religious encroachments on April 30. The court order was served to NDMC and I was also present at the venue,” said Panigrahi.
BJP national secretary R P Singh said, “This has been part of the Gurdwara for at least 15 years. How could that be an encroachment? The Sis Ganj demolition was approved by the Delhi Committee on Religious Structures. I have minutes of the meetings that took place on April 5, 2016 and AAP MLA Alka Lamba emphasised on removing the alleged encroachment.” Singh said the Delhi government could have presented a case in court rather than undertake demolition.
The minutes also say the High Court stated that land owning agency in this case — the MCD — should remove the encroachment, Singh said.

AAP MLA Alka Lamba

However, Lamba said she ensured that everyone was taken into confidence before the demolition. “It was not sudden. Six months ago, we had a meeting with all religious structure management agencies and told them that the court had directed to remove the said structures. They said they will remove those themselves, but they did not. Police also told me that everyone was taken into confidence. It is the BJP’s and Akali’s fight that has come out in the open,” said Lamba.

After the piao was demolished by MCD, Sangat quickly constructed it back again within 2 hrs in retaliation.