New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday upheld an order for the demolition of the Pracheen Shiv Mandir located in Geeta Colony near the Yamuna floodplains. A vacation bench comprising Justice Sanjay Kumar and Justice Augustine George Masih declined to intervene in the Delhi High Court's decision. The bench questioned the authenticity of the temple, noting, "Where is the proof of Pracheen Temple to begin with? Ancient temples were built with rocks and not with cement and paint."
On May 29, the Delhi High Court stated that Lord Shiva does not need anyone's protection and refused to include the deity in a petition regarding the removal of the temple, which was constructed illegally on the Yamuna riverbed. The court asserted that Lord Shiva would be more pleased if the Yamuna riverbed and floodplains were cleared of all encroachments and unauthorized structures. Consequently, the high court upheld the demolition order for the Pracheen Shiv Mandir.
The petitioner, Pracheen Shiv Mandir Avam Akhada Samiti, argued that the temple serves as a hub of spiritual activities, attracting 300 to 400 devotees regularly. They claimed that their society, registered in 2018, aims to maintain transparency, accountability, and responsible management of the temple's assets.
However, the high court ruled that the disputed land is intended for the larger public interest, and the petitioner society has no vested rights to occupy and use it. The land falls under the Zonal Development Plan for Zone-'O' as approved by the Ministry of Urban Development. The court also noted that the petitioner society failed to provide any documents proving their title, right, or interest over the land and found no evidence of the temple's historical significance.
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