NEW DELHI: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday wrote to Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri, requesting him to denotify the plot on which a Ravidas temple earlier existed at Tughlaqabad.
“The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) demolished the Sant Ravidas Temple in Tughlaqabad village on 10th August 2019. This has tremendously hurt the sentiments of crores of people. Sant Ravidas was a revered saint, not just for the Dalit community, but for all communities. His teachings have been empowering and uplifting generations of people over five centuries,” Kejriwal said in a letter to Puri.
After the DDA demolished temple on August 10 following the apex court’s order on a petition against alleged encroachment, protests erupted across North India, including a major one in the national capital which saw mayhem by protestors. The AAP blames the BJP-ruled NDA government for the demolition of the temple.
At the Delhi Assembly session, the issue was raised by MLAs from reserved constituencies and a resolution was passed stating that a solution would be worked out.
Kejriwal stated that although the temple and all other property were demolished, it was still possible to restore the place of worship. “Since the land is under DDA ownership, only the Centre can initiate the denotification of the land in question. This is forest land under ownership and control of the DDA. As the agency which has possession and title over it, it will have to initiate the process,” he asserted.
The CM assured Puri that his government would act in a time-bound manner to denotify the land. “I will ensure that State Government will take up the matter immediately and that it is decided in accordance with law in a time-bound manner.”
Puri had assured of finding a solution
Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has met Lt Governor Anil Baijal in this matter. “We, along with Vice Chairman of DDA, are determined to find a solution and possibly identify an alternative site where the temple can be relocated,” Puri had told the media.