Residents in Mathura district on Tuesday protested against the Yogi Adityanath government's proposal to build a corridor around the famous Banke Bihari temple in Vrindavan. Shopkeepers and priests wrote letters with their blood to the Chief Minister and Prime Minister Modi, requesting to drop the project.
The aim is to build a corridor around the temple on the lines of the Kashi Vishwanath Temple project in Varanasi.
According to reports, since two days the markets in the area have been shut. Local residents in the area have been protesting for a while against the government's move.
The protesters have approached the Allahabad High Court. The Supreme Court is also slated to hear the matter later this month, said reports.
According to the plan, the state government will acquire five acres of land around the iconic temple. Around 300 temples and residential buildings around the area are set to be affected. Several people will be evacuated from their homes if the government proceeds with the project.
As per the Allahabad HC order in December last year, an eight-member committee was formed by the district magistrate of Mathura to conduct a survey of more than 200 buildings around the temple.
Around 20 kms away from Mathura, Banke Bihari temple in Vrindavan is believed to be the birthplace of Lord Krishna.
However, according to the government, the corridor would make it easier for the devotees to reach the temple. It will also pave way for international tourism. BJP's MP Hema Malini in a statement issued on Sunday assured that all stakeholder's interests would be taken into account.
