Mumbai, Apr 19 (PTI) The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Saturday transferred an assistant municipal commissioner after the demolition of a Jain temple in Vile Parle area of the city sparked a controversy.

Members of the Jain community took out a protest march over the issue earlier in the day.

Navnath Ghadge, who was in charge of the K-east ward, has been transferred with immediate effect, municipal commissioner Bhushan Gagrani told PTI.

A team of K-east ward on April 16 demolished a Jain temple or ‘chaitalaya’ located inside Neminath Cooperative Housing Society, claiming it to be an unauthorised structure.

A protest march was taken to the ward office on Saturday. Paresh Shah of the Maharashtra Gaushala Sangh claimed that more 20,000 people including religious leaders and Maharashtra minister Mangal Prasad Lodha, local BJP MLA Parag Alavani and a few other political leaders participated in the march.

A delegation of protesters submitted a memorandum of demands and had a two-hour-long meeting with Ghadge, he said.

“The entire Jain community is anguished by the BMC’s action,” said Shah, demanding that the civic body suspend the officer. The temple was demolished without giving the trustees time to respond, he claimed.

Opposition Congress too slammed the BMC over the demolition.

Party leader Pawan Khera wrote on “X” that the Jain community had been hurt by the BMC’s action of demolishing the “90-year-old” Digambar Jain temple without any hearing.

“What enmity does BJP have with tolerance and harmony in the country?” Khera asked. PTI KK KRK