SC proposes panel to manage Banke Bihari temple till HC decides on UP ordinance

Time of India

12 hours ago

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New Delhi: Supreme Court on Monday proposed an interim committee, headed by a retired high court judge and comprising the district collector and Goswamis (pujaris), for management of Banke Bihari temple in Vrindavan till Allahabad HC decides the validity of UP govt's ordinance for all-round development of the temple area to provide facilities to pilgrims.
A bench of justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi asked additional solicitor general K M Nataraj to seek state govt's response by Tuesday morning, when it will take up a batch of petitions that have questioned the manner in which state govt, prompted by an SC order, had come out with a temple development project proposed to be implemented at a cost of Rs 500 crore.
The Goswamis, through senior advocate Shyam Divan, said taking over of the temple through an ordinance was extraordinary as the issue was not before constitutional courts, which were only dealing with alleged mismanagement of Guriraj temple.
In the guise of better management of temples in the 'Braj area', the SC passed an order without even hearing temple Goswamis, which prompted the state to issue the ordinance, they said.
The bench agreed that such an order without hearing the Goswamis could not have been passed. However, the Justice Kant-led bench said, "It is only for development of the temple and its surroundings. The state's intention does not appear to siphon out temple funds but to spend it on providing facilities to pilgrims."
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Divan said Banke Bihari temple was a private temple and any law brought about by govt or any order passed by courts could not have been without hearing the Goswamis, who have been managing it for centuries.
The bench saw a point in Divan's argument and said, "The state cannot be seen coming to the court in a clandestine manner and getting an order set aside in a case which had nothing to do with Banke Bihari temple. We will set aside that part of the order, set up an interim committee to manage the temple and permit the HC to decide the legality of the ordinance."
However, the bench was in favour of development around the temple to provide space for parking and places to stay for pilgrims with all facilities. "Religious tourism is assuming great importance. It can also be a big revenue earner and help in job creation. But there has to be adequate facilities to handle pilgrims," it said.
The interim committee may also have to induct representatives of Archaeological Survey of India as well as independent architects proficient in ancient building restoration to protect the temple, the bench said.