Chandigarh, August 11, 2019 (Yes Punjab News)
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) today said the Delhi Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government led by Arvind Kejriwal had betrayed the Ravidasia community by refusing to intercede on its behalf to save the demolition of a 500 year old temple dedicated to Guru Ravidas ji at Tughlaqabad in New Delhi.
In a statement here, SAD Doaba legislators Pawan Kumar Tinu, Dr Sukhwinder Kumar and Baldev Khaira besides former minister Sohan Singh Thandal said the Ravidasia community had approached Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal one month back on this issue.
He said the delegation had urged the Delhi government to intercede on behalf of the community in the Supreme Court and save the ancient temple from demolition. The leaders said as per the delegation leaders Sant Satwinder Singh Heera and Sant Jagtar Singh Barnala the Delhi CM asked them to submit a written submission to buttress their claim.
They said a written submission along with required evidence proving the temple land had been granted to the Ravidasia community by Lodhi dynasty in the 15th century was also submitted to the Delhi government twenty days back.
Former chief parliamentary secretary Pawan Tinu said it was shocking that the Delhi CM did not do anything to help the Ravidasia community and that even last minute pleas for intervention were ignored by the AAP government.
The Akali leaders said the Ravidasia community was engaged in a long battle to save the temple and said the AAP government was following in the footsteps of the erstwhile Congress government which had created the issue. “The Congress leaders who are trying to show solidarity with the community should explain why their party did not resolve the issue when in power in Delhi for 15 years earlier”, the SAD leaders said.
The Akali leaders also announced that they would meet SAD President Sukhbir Singh Badal tomorrow and urge him to take up the matter with the central government. “We are keen for a quick resolution of the issue as the demolition of the ancient temple has hurt the sentiments of the Ravidasia community worldwide.
We will urge the SAD President to urge the centre to intervene so that a community temple can be built at the same spot. We support the demand of the community for reconstruction of the temple at the same spot at the earliest”.
The SAD leaders said they would announce their next course of action in consultation with Ravidasia community members. “We also appeal to all right thinking individuals to support this just cause as Guru Ravidas ji spread the message of humanity and his teachings find universal acceptance and are even incorporated in Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji Maharaj”, the leaders said.
