For Kumbh Mela, Muslims voluntarily demolishing Mosques to allow widening of roads

Lucknow, July 4: In times when even slightest mention of making any changes to religious structures spark a row, the Muslims of Allahabad are voluntarily demolishing Mosques so that the government can widen the roads ahead of Kumbh Mela, which draws laks of devotees.

One of the Muslim residents of the city told news agency ANI that the community "supports" the state government's move to wident he roads ahead of the Kumbh Mela.

"We have done this by our own will. These sections were built on government land and have been demolished. The government is widening roads ahead of Kumbh mela and we support it," he said.

Allahabad: Muslims have demolished parts of various mosques in old city area as they were built on govt land, say, we have done this by our own will. These sections were built on govt land have been demolished. Govt is widening roads ahead of Kumbh mela & we support it. pic.twitter.com/9yJHgaqfKb

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) July 3, 2018

Kumbh Mela, inscribed on the UNESCO's Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, is a mass pilgrimage of faith in which Hindus gather to bathe in a sacred or holy river. Traditionally, four fairs are widely recognized as the Kumbh Melas: the Haridwar Kumbh Mela, the Allahabad Kumbh Mela, the Nashik-Trimbakeshwar Simhastha, and Ujjain Simhastha.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has been personally monitoring the preparations of the Kumbh Mela in Allahabad. He has blamed the previous governments at the Centre for not doing enough to get a global recognition for the "Kumbh Mela", said reports.