VHP reaches out to Dalits after Ravidas temple order

After the Supreme Court allowed the rebuilding of Sant Ravidas temple here in Delhi on 400 square metres of land, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Monday reached out to Dalits, calling the apex court's decision “a victory of the struggle of Hindu Samaj.”

The right-wing outfit said it was the VHP which first wrote a letter to Union Ministry for Urban Development Minister Hardeep Singh Puri in July, demanding protection of the temple.

The temple had been razed by authorities on a Supreme Court's order in August, for being built on forest land. This had sparked a massive protest here in the national capital. Sant Ravidas is revered and worshipped by various communities, including dalits.

“It's a victory of the struggle of Hindu Samaj,” VHP's international working president, Alok Kumar said, welcoming the apex court's decision to allow reconstruction of the temple.

With the Supreme court's decision, not only will the temple dedicated to Shiromani Guru Ravidas be rebuilt but a sacred lake there will also be revived and adequate arrangements will be made for taking care of the memorials of the revered saints, he said.

“It should be noted that it was the VHP which had first written to Union Urban Development minister Hardeep Singh Puri on July 4, demanding protection of the temple,” he added.

Perturbed over the demolition of the temple on the court's order later, a delegation of the VHP Delhi unit had called on the Urban Development Affairs minister, seeking the government's intervention to resolve the issue.

“As the issue appeared to remain unsolved, another high-level delegation of the VHP, comprising its working president and representatives of various communities, including Hindus, Sikhs and Jains met the Urban Development Affairs minister this month, with a host of demands including the reconstruction of the temple,” the VHP said in a statement.

The VHP delegation had urged the minister to submit a proposal before the Supreme Court through the Attorney General for the reconstruction of the temple, it added