'Go and ask the deity,' Supreme Court rejects plea for restoring Lord Vishnu idol in Khajuraho

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to consider a plea seeking directions to reconstruct and reinstall a seven-foot idol of Lord Vishnu at the Javari Temple, part of the UNESCO World Heritage Khajuraho temple complex in Madhya Pradesh.

"This is purely a publicity interest litigation. Go and ask the deity himself to do something. If you are saying that you are a strong devotee of Lord Vishnu, then you pray and do some meditation,” a bench of Chief Justice of India B R Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran told petitioner Rakesh Dalal.

The petitioner has moved the top court seeking a direction for the replacement and consecration of the damaged idol at the Javari Temple in Chhatarpur district.

His plea sought a replacement/ reconstruction/ rejuvenation of the idol of the Lord Vishnu and install/ consecrate the same at the Javeri temple, Khajuraho, Chhatarpur District, Madhya Pradesh in place of the headless 7-foot-long idol.