Guru Ravidas Temple: SC favours 'amicable solution', asks parties to hold consultation

The Supreme Court on Friday favoured an "amicable solution" for the re-construction of Guru Ravidas temple on a better location after it was demolished in Tughlaqabad forest area here, saying it respects everybody's "sentiments" but law has to be followed.

The temple was demolished by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) citing the top court's direction. The demolition had led to a series of protests, including in Delhi, Punjab and Haryana.

The apex court asked the parties in the matter to hold a consultation to arrive at an amicable solution on a "better land" and "better location" and said if they are agreeable, then it would pass order.

A bench of justices Arun Mishra and S Ravindra Bhat said that Attorney General K K Venugopal was also appearing in the matter and the petitioners, who were seeking apex court permission to re-construct the temple, should hold consultation with him on the issue.

"You find an amicable solution and come back to us. Any day we can pass the order. We respect the sentiments of everybody on earth but we have to follow the law," the bench said and posted the matter for further hearing on October 18 along with the pending petition on the issue.

"The attorney general is also appearing in the (pending) matter. Let us see what best we can do," the bench said.

At the outset, senior advocate Vikas Singh, appearing for petitioners and two former members of Parliament Ashok Tanwar and Pradeep Jain Aditya, referred to the Delhi High Court's earlier order in a matter related to encroachment around the temple.

However, the bench told Singh and other lawyers, who wanted to intervene in the matter, to hold consultations for arriving at an amicable solution.

"Come back with a good solution," the bench told the lawyers.

The petitioners have sought enforcement of their right to worship which, they alleged, "was being denied to them due to demolition" of the temple and 'Samadhi' in Tughlaqabad.

The former parliamentarians have said that several facts were suppressed during the hearing of a suit before the apex court for removal of encroachment of surrounding areas.

Their counsel had earlier submitted that there were over six crore followers of Guru Ravidas and they have a fundamental right to worship at the said place.

On August 27, the petitioners had moved the top court seeking its permission to re-construct the temple, saying it is a pious site and prayers were being held there since the last 500-600 years.

The petitioners had said that they were devout followers of Guru Ravidas and used to pray regularly at the site.

The DDA had demolished the temple citing order of the apex court, which had on August 9 observed that "serious breach" had been committed by Guru Ravidas Jayanti Samaroh Samiti by not vacating the forest area as earlier ordered by the top court.

The temple's demolition had led to a series of protests in places such as Delhi, Punjab and Haryana and the apex court had on August 19 directed the authorities in these areas to ensure that no law and order situation is created politically or otherwise.

The top court had earlier warned against politicising the temple's demolition and said it would initiate contempt proceedings against those provoking protests and demonstrations.