The Supreme Court on Friday urged the parties involved in the petition to rebuild Ravidas temple to find an amicable solution on a better location for the shrine, PTI reported. The Delhi Development Authority had demolished the 15th-century temple on August 10 based on the orders of the top court after a petition against encroachment by temple authorities.

A bench head by Justices Arun Mishra and S Ravindra Bhat said the court “respects the sentiments of everybody on the earth” but rules have to be followed. The court directed the petitioners to discuss the matter with the Attorney General KK Venugopal.

“You find an amicable solution and come back to us,” the court said. “Any day we can pass the order.”

The court will hear the matter next on October 18.

The demolition of the Ravidas temple in Tughlakabad locality had turned violent as several Dalit groups marched towards the shrine, and allegedly resorted to stone-pelting and attacked policemen who had used force to contain the crowd. Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad and 95 others were later sent to 14-day judicial custody on charges of rioting and unlawful assembly.

The members of the Ravidas or Ravidassia community are Dalits, and form an offshoot of Sikhism. They follow Ravidas, whose teachings are also mentioned in the Guru Granth Sahib.

Also read: Why are angry Dalits recalling a Delhi sultan to protest the demolition of a bhakti saint’s temple?

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