NEW DELHI: The Delhi Congress on Friday announced that it will hold a hunger strike at Rajghat to protest the demolition of Sant Ravidas Temple. The party will demand for the reconstruction of the temple at the same site.
Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee working president Rajesh Lilothia who met the Ravidas Janmotsav Committee also pledged support of a team of lawyers to provide legal assistance for release of people who were arrested after protesting against the demolition on August 21.
Dalit organisations had vehemently protested against Delhi Development Authority’s (DDA) demolition of the temple, which according to the land owning agency happened under Supreme Court directions. Lilothia claimed that he has been assisting the organisations to secure land at the same site.
“We will support the Ravidas committee in whichever way possible, like AAP, we do not want politicise the issue for the coming elections. The suggestion to choose another place for the temple shows the double standards of the Centre. When it comes to Ayodhya they want the temple to be in the same place” Lilothia stated.
Following the protests, Delhi assembly passed a resolution demanding the Centre should pass an ordinance in the matter and allot the land to the temple committee for re-construction.
Congress has pledged support to historic Sant Ravidas Mandir at Tughlaqabad in saying it could have been saved from the sword of demolition if the BJP government at the Centre wanted, but the BJP Government at the Centre took no initiative to save the temple from demolition.