Kejriwal betrayed Ravidasia community: SAD leader Pawan Kumar Tinu

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Sunday said the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government led by Arvind Kejriwal had betrayed the Ravidasia community by refusing to intercede on its behalf to save the demolition of a 500-year-old temple dedicated to Guru Ravidas at Tughlaqabad in New Delhi.

"We had urged the Delhi government to intercede on behalf of the community in the Supreme Court and save the ancient temple from demolition. The Delhi Chief Minister asked us to submit a written submission to buttress our claim. A written submission along with required evidence proving the temple land had been granted to the Ravidasia community by Lodhi dynasty in the 15th century was also submitted to the Delhi government twenty days back," SAD Doaba legislator Pawan Kumar Tinu said.

The Akali leader said the Ravidasia community was engaged in a long battle to save the temple and said the AAP government was following in the footsteps of the erstwhile Congress government which had created the issue.

"The Congress leaders who are trying to show solidarity with the community should explain why their party did not resolve the issue when they were in power in Delhi for 15 years earlier", the SAD leader said.

The Akali leaders, Dr Sukhwinder Kumar and Baldev Khara besides former minister Sohan Singh Thandal also announced that they would meet SAD President Sukhbir Singh Badal tomorrow and urge him to take up the matter with the central government.

The SAD leaders said they would announce their next course of action in consultation with Ravidasia community members.

"We also appeal to all right-thinking individuals to support this just cause as Guru Ravidas ji spread the message of humanity and his teachings find universal acceptance and are even incorporated in Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji Maharaj", the leaders said.