Temple in India replaces elephant with lifelike robot for ‘cruelty-free’ rituals
IndependentNov 26, 2022
The Facts
On Thursday, a floor covering a 40-feet deep stepwell at a temple in central India collapsed, killing at least 36 people and injuring over a dozen more, local officials said as rescue teams continued to search for the missing on Friday.
A large crowd of devotees gathered at Indore's Beleshwar Mahadev Temple to celebrate the Hindu festival of Ram Navami when the concrete slab they were standing on collapsed under their weight in the state of Madhya Pradesh.
The Spin
Narrative A
Questions must be asked of both the temple trust and the Indore civic body. The tragedy could have been averted had the authorities properly acted on complaints filed by residents who alleged that the temple was built on a stepwell in an encroached park last year. Despite likely knowing the structure wasn't secure, officials failed to follow through on any action, and no amount of compensation will bring justice to the victims.
Narrative B
Religion shouldn't be used to grab public land for the benefit of a few greedy individuals. The municipal and government bodies — having ordered the structure's removal — must be empowered to prevent unauthorized constructions from being carried out under the garb of religious structures, as political interests and religious sentiments often render authorities helpless.