VHP fences ancient site in Kaithal, Congress protests

Satish Seth

Kaithal, April 24.

Vishav Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal activists last night fenced a piece of land in front of the fort of Bhai Uday Singh, the last ruler of Kaithal, staking claim for its possession

Taking a serious view of this act, a large number of Congress workers led by Sudeep Surjewala held a meeting here today and criticized the VHP. Workers took out a procession and handed over a memorandum to City magistrate Reegan Kumar. The administration should not allow the illegal possession and take strict action against those who wanted to vitiate the peaceful atmosphere of the town.

This piece of land is part of the famous Bidhikiyar pond and the local municipal council had spent lakhs filling the pond site before renovation of the old fort was started. The VHP claimed that they had put up the barbed wire at the site in view of the order of the Punjab and Haryana High court on November 14, 2014.

Prem Chand Mittal, district president, VHP, said they planned to construct a magnificent mandir at the site. The land belonged to their organization as it was registered in the name of Raghunath Goel, a former MLA and the then district president of VHP on May 15,1990 and the mutation was in their favour.

The council got the mutation changed in its favour on March 30, 2006 and got this land filled with soil, following which VHP got a stay from the HC. However, the council not only allegedly continued filling this site but also started construction following which they again went to the High court allowed the VHP to get a barbed wire erected on this site.

Executive Officer S.K. Goel said that this land is in their possession.

MC chairman Ram Niwas Mittal said the council has spent cores to renovate the old fort and develop the site for tourism.