BSP Chief Mayawati Appeals to Centre, Delhi Govt to Find Way to Reconstruct Ravidas Temple

Lucknow: BSP president Mayawati Friday appealed to the Centre and the Delhi government to find a way to reconstruct the Ravidas temple which was demolished by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) on the direction of the Supreme Court recently.

Mayawati's appeal came a day after a Delhi court sent Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad and 95 others, arrested on charges of rioting and unlawful assembly following violent protest in Tughlakabad area, to 14-day judicial custody.

They were detained on Wednesday night after the protest against the demolition of a Ravidas temple.

The BSP president, who had distanced herself from the violent Dalit protest in Tughlakabad area, Friday appealed to both the Centre and the Delhi government to find a way to reconstruct the temple and asked followers of Saint Ravidas not to take law in their hands.

"Making the demand yet again from the Central and Delhi governments to find a middle path to expedite the reconstruction of the temple with government expenditure so that proper justice can be done . It should be remembered that the BSP government in UP had done many historical works in honour of Sanit Ravidas," she tweeted.

On August 14, Mayawati had asked the two governments to find a middle path to get the temple constructed with their own resources.

In another tweet, Mayawati also appealed to the followers of Saint Ravidas not to take law in their hands.

"It is an appeal to the followers of the great saint Ravidasji that they should not get angry and take law in their hands for reconstruction of the ancient temple which was demolished in Tughlakabad, Delhi. The followers of Saint Ravidasji should follow the legal way and path shown by Tathagat Gautam Budh to serve their interests," she said.

On Thursday, she had said, "The incidents of vandalism that have taken place in Delhi, especially in Tughlakabad, are unfair and the BSP has nothing to do with it. The BSP always respects the Constitution and the law. The struggles of the party are carried out well within the ambit of law."