Delhi Congress workers stage protest over demolition of Hanuman temple in Chandni Chowk

Delhi Congress workers staged a demonstration reciting 'Hanuman Chalisa' in protest against the demolition of a temple in Chandni Chowk on Saturday.

The protesters led by the party's Delhi unit president Anil Kumar assembled at Gauri Shankar Mandir and were stopped by police when they were moving towards the demolition site.

The Congress workers chanted 'Hanuman Chalisa’ and raised slogans against the BJP and the AAP.

The Hanuman temple was demolished by the BJP-ruled North Delhi Municipal Corporation(NDMC) on court orders. It was demolished as an "encroachment" to pave way for Chandni Chowk redevelopment project of the Delhi government.

"We wanted to hold the protest at the demolition site, but the police put up barricades to prevent the Congress workers from reaching there... so we recited Hanuman Chalisa in front of the Gauri Shankar Mandir," Kumar said.

The Delhi Congress has sought time to meet Lt Governor Anil Baijal on Monday to talk about the Hanuman temple issue, he said.

"The temple could have been saved had the BJP-ruled NDMC and the Arvind Kejriwal government shown consideration to the sentiments of the people of old Delhi and others coming there from different parts of the country," the Delhi Congress president said.