‘If states start entering private disputes … ‘: SC pulls up UP government for ‘hijacking’ Banke Bihari Temple dispute | India News

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday strongly criticised the Uttar Pradesh government for intervening in a private authorized dispute over the administration of the enduring Shri Banke Bihari temple in Vrindavan, accusing it of “hijacking” the case.A bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and Satish Chandra Sharma questioned the state’s involvement, stating, “If states start entering private disputes, it will lead to a breakdown of the rule of law. You can’t hijack litigation between private parties.”The courtroom was listening to a plea looking for modification of its earlier order that cleared the way in which for the UP government’s temple redevelopment plan.Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing petitioner Devendra Nath Gooswami, argued that Rs 300 crore was allotted to the state for the mission with out making his shopper, linked to the temple’s unique founders, a celebration to the case, information company PTI reported. “How can earnings of a private temple be handed over to the state through an order in an unrelated petition?” Sibal questioned.In response, the state’s counsel stated the government had created a belief to supervise the redevelopment and handle temple affairs, and that the funds would vest with the belief, not the government—underneath a particular ordinance.The bench directed the state to share a duplicate of the ordinance with the petitioner and requested the related principal secretary to file an affidavit by July 29.Earlier on May 15, the courtroom had allowed the state to make use of temple funds for buying 5 acres of land across the shrine to develop amenities reminiscent of parking, bogs, and lodging for devotees.However, on May 19, Gooswami—who claims to be a direct descendant of temple founder Swami Haridas Goswami—challenged the redevelopment plan, arguing it was unfeasible with out session with these traditionally concerned within the temple’s functioning. He warned it may disrupt the temple’s non secular and cultural cloth.The Supreme Court’s earlier ruling had modified a November 2023 Allahabad High Court order that accepted the state’s growth plan however barred use of temple funds.