New Delhi, May 27 -- The Supreme Court on Tuesday slammed the Uttar Pradesh government for "hijacking" the litigation between two private parties over management of the Shri Banke Bihari temple in Vrindavan.

A bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and Satish Chandra Sharma said that if the state government starts entering into private disputes between parties, it will result in a "breakdown of the rule of law."

The bench asked the counsel appearing for the state, "Was a state a party to the proceedings? In what capacity has the state entered the dispute? If states start entering into a private dispute between parties it will breakdown of rule of law. You can't hijack the litigation. In a private litigation between two parties, state filing an...