Supreme Court Upholds Demolition Of Shiv Mandir In Delhi

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday upheld a Delhi High Court order for the demolition of a Shiv Mandir.

A vacation bench of Justice Sanjay Kumar and Justice Augustine George Masih refused to interfere with the high court order passed on May 29, reported PTI.

“Where is the proof of Pracheen Temple to begin with? Ancient temples were built with rocks and not with cement and painted,” the top court said about the temple situated at Geeta Colony, close to the Yamuna floodplains.

In its order last month, the Delhi High Court said Lord Shiva does not need anyone’s protection, as it refused to make the deity a party to a petition relating to the removal of a temple constructed in an unauthorised way.

Refusing to set aside an order for demolition of the Pracheen Shiv Mandir, the high court said Lord Shiva would be happier if the Yamuna riverbed and floodplains were cleared of all encroachments and unauthorised construction.

Pracheen Shiv Mandir Avam Akhada Samiti, the petitioner, had claimed that the temple acts as a hub of spiritual activities and draws 300 to 400 devotees daily.

The high court said the land in dispute is meant for larger public interest and the petitioners can’t claim any vested rights to continue to occupy and use it.

Observing that the land falls under Zonal Development Plan for Zone ‘O’, as approved by the Ministry of Urban Development, the high court said the petitioner society had miserably failed to show any documents with regard to its title, right or interest over the land and there is no proof of the temple having any historical significance.