Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar on Monday extended his party’s support to the Ravidas community

Chandigarh: Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar on Monday extended his party’s support to the Ravidas community on the demolished temple issue, but appealed to them to ensure that the common people are not adversely impacted as a result of their protests.

In a statement issued here, the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) chief said the party stood by the community and would help in every possible way to pursue the case for re-allocation of the historic site and reconstruction of the temple demolished in Delhi under the Supreme Court’s orders.

However, in the interest of the people, he urged the Guru Ravidas Jayanti Samaroh Samiti, which is spearheading the protests, not to block roads and highways as that was causing hardship to the commuters.Jakhar’s statement came a day after Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh sought the Prime Minister’s intervention to resolve the matter, and extended all legal and financial aid to the community to pursue the case.

The Chief Minister had on Sunday also spoken to Union Urban Develop Minister Hardeep Singh Puri to help in the peaceful settlement of the issue, that had hurt the sentiments of the Ravidas community.Jakhar said the Congress was committed to ensuring that the matter is amicably resolved in favour of the Ravidas community, which had revered the Sri Guru Ravidas Temple and Samadhi, located in Village Tughlakabad, Delhi, for 500 years.

The PPCC would stand with the community in its fight for restoration of the site and for rebuilding of the temple and other connected structures, said Jakhar. Jakhar also thanked the Chief Minister for coming out in support of the Samiti and taking up the matter with the central government. The Congress party would also pursue the case relentlessly, to ensure that original structures are restored, he assured.

Legends say that Guru Ravidasji visited the sacred place around 1509 during the reign of Emperor Sikander. Jakhar said it was obvious that the community had historic religious ties with the place and he was confident that the central government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, would accede the state’s request for intervention to settle the matter amicably.