Banke Bihari Temple issue: Goswami community welcomes SC order
AGRA, Aug. 9 -- The Goswami community, which manages the day-to-day affairs of the Banke Bihari Temple in Vrindavan, has welcomed the Supreme Court's Friday order on the temple's management.
"Bahut achha order hua hai. Behari ji ki badi kripa hui hai... sab Brajwasion ki aur mandir ki raksha hui hai (A good order has been passed by the Supreme Court... it's the blessing of Behari Ji. All residents of Braj and the temple have been saved)," stated Rajat Goswami representing the Goswami community.
"The Supreme Court has brought to an end what was being created by officials here in the name of Banke Bihari Corridor. It's a big relief to us for now," said Rajat Goswami, who is the former vice-president of the temple's last managing committee (defunct after the court order).
The Goswami community has been protesting against the proposed Banke Bihari Corridor and the ordinance bought by the state government in the month of May to form a government-run Trust. They had approached the Supreme Court, complaining that they were not heard.
"The biggest relief is that the Supreme Court recalled two lines mentioned in the order passed on May 15 by Justice Bela Trivedi, which will ensure that temple funds will not be released for use by the state government to acquire land for the Banke Bihari Corridor. The said order was passed without hearing the Goswami community, the major stakeholders of the temple fund," Goswami said.
"The other major victory for us is that the Supreme Court asked the Allahabad high court to hear the matter related to the ordinance bought by the state government," he said.
In the interim, the apex court will form a committee headed by a retired high court judge, along with administrative officials and Goswami representatives, to manage the temple, he added.
Former Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader in Vidhan Sabha and former MLA of Mathura, Pradeep Mathur also welcomed the order. "The Supreme Court has brought to an end the plans of the state government," Mathur alleged.
Mathura DM Chandra Prakash Singh declined to comment on the Supreme Court order. The administration has been making plans for the Corridor, spread over five acres, to streamline movement of devoteeshtc...
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