With Supreme Court ordering the demolition of the 500-year-old Sant Ravidas temple in Tughlaqabad, chaos struck Delhi with thousands of Dalits, including members of the Bhim Army, hitting the roads against the verdict. Meanwhile, other temples and ashrams that were also been built on the green belt in the past, continue to thrive without interruption from any authority or courts.
In its order to demolish the Ravidas temple, the Supreme Court held that it was a “serious breach.” It said the structure of Sant Ravidas should be immediately removed since it was built on the forest land in the Tughlaqabad area. Interestingly, in 1996, the same apex court had allotted 4,312 sq. yard of land surrounded by the lush Central Ridge Forest to self-proclaimed guru and convicted criminal Asaram Bapu.
