Ravidas Temple row: Centre agrees to hand 200 square metres over to devotees for construction of temple in South Delhi

New Delhi: The Centre on Friday told the Supreme Court that it is willing to hand over 200 square metre area to a committee of devotees for construction of Guru Ravidas temple in South Delhi.

A bench of Justices Arun Mishra and S Ravindra Bhat took on record the offer made by Attorney General KK Venugopal, appearing for the Centre, and asked parties seeking construction of a temple to submit objections, if any by Monday.

At the outset, Venugopal said he had held consultation with all parties including devotees and government officials and Centre has agreed to give the same piece of land considering sensitivity and faith of devotees for the site.

“That same 200 square metre area of the site can be handed over to a committee of devotees for construction of the temple,” Venugopal said, adding that five out of seven petitioners, who approached the court against the demolition of the temple have agreed to the proposal.

The top court on 4 October, had asked the parties involved in a plea seeking permission to rebuild the Guru Ravidas temple in Delhi’s Tughlaqabad forest area to come back to it with an amicable solution on a better location for the temple.

The temple was demolished by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) following the court’s direction, which had led to massive outcry and protests in the national capital.

The top court had said it respects everybody’s sentiments but the law has to be followed.