New Delhi, Sep 28 (PTI) The AAP alleged on Tuesday that the BJP-ruled EDMC has given an approval for the demolition of an old temple in east Delhi, calling it a conspiracy to create communal disharmony ahead of the municipal corporation polls.

However, East Delhi Mayor Shyam Sunder Aggarwal rejected the charge as "baseless" and said, "we will not allow anything to happen to the temple structure".

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Addressing a press conference here, AAP spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj claimed that the EDMC has given an approval to demolish the temple, built about 50 years ago, and construct a building in the Muslim-dominated area of Chauhan Bangad in Shahadara district.

"The BJP will use this demolition to spread hatred on WhatsApp before the MCD elections to pit one community against other," Bhardwaj alleged.

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Referring to suspension of AAP councillors on Monday, he said when the AAP councillors raised questions and "exposed" the BJP's conspiracy of demolishing temples for electoral gains, they were suspended for 15 days in a "blatant abuse of power".

The EDMC mayor on Monday had suspended 20 AAP councillors for allegedly creating ruckus and indulging in misconduct during the proceedings of the House.

The issue that led to chaotic scenes in the EDMC House was related to the old temple.

Delhi civic elections are due next year and both parties have been attacking each other with a spirit of one-upmanship to gain an upper hand ahead of the municipal elections.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)