Delhi Congress leader Rajesh Lilothia filed a petition today in the Supreme Court to seek action against Delhi Development Authority. The filed petition argues for immediate action against the authority for demolishing the Ravidas Temple.
Delhi Congress leader and working President, and former MLA, Rajesh Lilothia files contempt petition in the Supreme Court seeking action against DDA for demolishing Ravidas temple at Tughlakabad, Delhi.
— ANI (@ANI) September 27, 2019
The petition also claimed that the tax of worship is a constitutional right under the law of land.
This is not the first instance where a petition has been filed for seeking the action against the demolition of Ravidas temple. Earlier, former president of Haryana Congress, Ashok Tanwar and former minister Pradeep Jain had also filed similar petitions in the country’s apex court seeking the reconstruction of Ravidas temple.
Previously, Delhi Social Welfare Minister Rajendra Pal Gautam also urged the authorities to de-notify the forest land so that the temple could be reconstructed again.
BACKGROUND OF THE CASE:
In a case titled ‘Guru Ravi Das Jayanti Samaroh Samiti vs Union of India’, Supreme Court on 9th August said that the Guru Ravi Das Jayanti Samaroh Samiti has committed a serious breach by not vacating the forest area as earlier ordered by the court. Following the order, DDA (Delhi Development Authority) demolished the temple on 10th August.
The matter became an issue of hot debate when Dalit leaders from the Bhim Army announced to launch a three-month-long movement. Bhim Army has also previously protested against the matter by coming out on the streets of Delhi.
Offering respite to the sentiments of Delhi voters, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had urged the Centre to come up with an ordinance to allot 4-5 acres of land for the construction of Ravidas Temple. AAP party had said that if the Union allots the land, the Delhi government will construct the temple and take full responsibility.
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