SC favours another land to build Sant Ravidas' temple

The Supreme Court on Friday favoured for finding another piece of land in Delhi to build Sant Ravidas temple, which was earlier demolished on the top court's order for being on forest land, triggering massive protests in North India.

A bench of Justices Arun Mishra and S Ravindra Bhat asked former Congress MP Ashok Tanwar and former Union Minister Pradeep Jain to find out solutions to the issue.

Tanwar, led by senior advocate Vikas Singh, sought to practice his right to worship at the temple. The counsel said the matter was related to encroachment of land which could not have covered the temple.

"We are not averse to it. We respect sentiments of everybody. Look for better land, better ways to find out the solutions," the bench said.

The court told the petitioners to interact with Attorney General K K Venugopal to resolve the matter.

The court put the matter for consideration on October 18.

The court had in August decried attempts being being made to give political colour to its order for demolition of Sant Ravidas temple, illegally constructed on a forest land here. Sant Ravidas is revered and worshipped by a large number of people including those from Scheduled Castes community members.

Three states of Delhi, Punjab and Haryana, faced protests from the people after the top court had directed the Delhi Development Authority to remove the structure at Tughlakabad here.