Any religious structure constructed on public roads and pavements since 2011 will be removed immediately, said the Uttar Pradesh government on Thursday. The government has issued directions to senior administrative and police officials to take necessary action.
In an official notification, the Home department said that no structure or construction of religious nature should be allowed on public roads, streets, pavements, and by the roadside. “If any such structure/construction has come up on January 1, 2011, or after, it should be removed immediately,” read the notification.
The Home department also confirmed that all senior administrative and police officials at the district level have been told that if any religious structure/encroachment had been done on the public road including highways before January 1, 2011, it should be shifted to the land offered by the followers of that religion or private land proposed by the persons responsible for its management which shall belong to their community within six months or will be removed.
It also states that in case of any deviation or disobedience of these instructions, the officials concerned will be personally held responsible.
Disobedience of these orders will be taken as deliberate contempt of orders of the high court, which will be considered as criminal contempt, it said.
These instructions have been issued by the government in compliance with the order of the high court, the release said.
