Tanwar files plea against DDA chief for not implementing SC order on Ravidas Temple

Satya Prakash
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, February 20

Former Lok Sabha MP Ashok Tanwar on Thursday moved the Supreme Court seeking initiation of a contempt petition against Delhi Development Authority (DAA) vice chairman and Delhi chief secretary for not implementing the court’s order on the construction of a Sant Ravidas temple in Tughlakabad.

Tanwar pointed out that the Supreme Court had in October 2019 ordered reconstruction of the Guru Ravidas Temple demolished by DDA and had given the government six weeks to constitute a committee of devotees to build the temple.

However, even after nearly four months, no committee had been formed, Tanwar submitted.

“The government has already formed the trust in the Ayodhya matter while it is yet to take any action regarding temple for Guru Ravidas, who is worshipped by the scheduled caste,” his counsel Virag Gupta told The Tribune.

The Supreme Court had on October 21 paved the way for the reconstruction of Sant Ravidas Temple in Tughlaqabahd area of South Delhi which was demolished by DDA on the Court’s order.

“Let there be peace,” a Bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra had said and ordered quashing of all criminal cases lodged against those who indulged in violence during the agitation for rebuilding the temple.

The order had come on petitions filed by Tanwar and Pradeep Jain Aditya and others seeking reconstruction of Guru Ravidas Temple

Attorney General KK Venugopal had said instead of 200 square, the Centre has decided to allot 400 square meters for the reconstruction of the Temple.

The top court had asked the Centre to constitute a committee of devotees in six weeks to oversee the reconstruction of the temple.

The Bench had made it clear that no commercial activity will be allowed over there as it was a designated forest area.

A mystic poet-saint and one of the stalwarts of Bhakti movement, Guru Ravidas (1450-1520) has a large number of followers, mostly Dalits, in Delhi, Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan.

After the demolition of the temple situated in Tughlaqabad area of Delhi his followers protested against it in Delhi, Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan demanding reconstruction of his temple.