Author:
Publication: Express & Star
News Paper
Date: November 30,2000
Vandals have smashed down the walls
of a £1 million temple and community centre being built in Smethwick,
causing damage put at £10,000. Community leaders have condemned
the "misguided, week minded" thugs and say they are very much hurt by the
attack on the Durga Bhawan site in Spon Lane south. The vandals used
scaffolding poles, stored on the site, to demolish the 6ft high part-built
walls of the Hindu temple last night. It followed the theft of tools
worth £5,000 from the building site two months ago.
Construction company Model Builders
will have to cover the costs of the attacks, as their insurance does not
cover them for the incident. Managing Director Surjit Bhogal said
he wad now looking at stepping up security at the one-and-a-half acre site
to prevent further damage. Work on the building started in august
and the Hindu Cultural Resource Sandwell, which spent ten years planning
the community facility, hoped to open in next August.
Centre president Kamal Dev Pathak
said today: "This is the work of some misguided, week-minded people.
We are naturally very much hurt and annoyed by this act of intolerance.
We condemn this act of vandalism in the strongest terms. The culprits
should be brought to book and face the law of the land. We are trying
to provide something for the community, with facilities for the disabled,
unemployed and young people. It will be open to people of every faith.
It is terrible that someone should have done this."
Site Manager Parmjit Singh Bhogal
said: "We came in at 8am today to a scene of total devastation. This
will set us back at least two weeks but we are determined to carry on and
ensure the temple opens on time."
The temple and community centre
complex will house exhibition, conference, wedding, leisure and sports
facilities, a day centre for the elderly, a youth wing and counselling
and legal services. Classes will also be run in a range of subjects
, including History, English, music, languages, literacy and numeracy.
Mr Pathak urged anyone with information
about the attack to contact Smethwick Police on 0121 626 9000.
