Temple demolition reflects casteist mentality: Mayawati

BSP president Mayawati on Wednesday alleged that the demolition of the Ravidas temple in Delhi's Tughlaqabad area was a result of a collision between the Centre and Delhi government and reflected a "casteist mentality".

She also demanded that the temple should be reconstructed.

In a tweet, the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said, "the BSP strongly protests the demolition of Saint Ravidas temple in Delhi's Tughlaqabad area which is a result of collusion between Centre and Delhi government. This shows the casteist and inferior mentality towards our saints even today."

The BSP president also asked both the governments to find a middle path and get the temple reconstructed.

"This is the demand of the BSP that both the governments find a middle path and get the temple reconstructed at their own cost," she said.

The Supreme Court had on Tuesday warned against politicising the demolition of the temple in the Tughlaqabad forest area here on its order and threatened to initiate contempt proceedings against those provoking dharnas and demonstrations.

Amid a row over the demolition of the temple in a forest area in Tughlaqabad, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri had on Tuesday said the Centre is determined to find a solution and possibly identify an alternative site to "relocate" it.