Ravidas temple: Got `assurance' from Shah, says Badal

Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Tuesday said Union Home Minister Amit Shah has assured that the Centre would sympathetically consider the demand for the reconstruction of the recently demolished Guru Ravidas temple at its original location.

"This includes taking up the case with the Supreme Court," he claimed in a press release.

The temple in the national capital’s Tughlakabad area was demolished by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) on August 10 on the orders of the Supreme Court.

The SAD president and his wife, Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal, met Shah in New Delhi on Monday.

The Akali leaders told the home minister that the demolition had hurt the sentiments of the Ravidassia community and its members wanted to “right this wrong,” the party said.

Badal said Shah assured the Akali Dal that he would look into the matter and that the Centre would take action keeping in mind the sentiments of the Ravidassia community.

“This includes taking up the case with the Supreme Court also. We are grateful for this assurance and hope this issue will now be resolved soon,” the Akali Dal president said.

Badal, who is also the Ferozepur MP, said the SAD was committed to the rebuilding of the temple at the same spot, as wished by the Ravidassia community.

The party had already offered to do rebuild the temple at its own expense, he said.

The demolition had triggered protests by the community in parts of Punjab and Delhi. On Wednesday, a Dalit protest in Delhi turned violent.

The Delhi Police arrested Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad and 95 others on several charges, including rioting and unlawful assembly.