Mathura (Uttar Pradesh) [India] June 6 : Awanish Awasthi, advisor to the Uttar Pradesh government and former Chief Secretary, arrived in Vrindavan on Friday to address the ongoing opposition to the Banke Bihari Temple Corridor project. Awasthi began his visit by holding a meeting with officials to review the situation.
He then visited the Banke Bihari Temple, where he performed the Dehri Pujan and offered Itr Seva.
Following the rituals, he met with the temple's Goswami Sevayats to discuss the project, the resistance it has faced, and the potential benefits it could bring.
After the discussions with the Goswamis, Awasthi's convoy proceeded to the Tourist Facility Centre (TFC) in Vrindavan, where he is currently holding a meeting with representatives from various sections of the local community to address concerns and deliberate on the corridor project.
Earlier on May 27, the Supreme Court slammed the Uttar Pradesh government for "hijacking" the litigation between two private parties over management of the Shri Banke Bihari temple in Vrindavan.
A bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and Satish Chandra Sharma said that if the state government starts entering into private disputes between parties, it will result in a "breakdown of the rule of law.
The bench asked the counsel appearing for the state, "Was the state a party to the proceedings? In what capacity has the state entered the dispute? If states start entering into private disputes between parties, it will break the rule of law. You can't hijack the litigation. In private litigation between two parties, a state filing an impleadment application and hijacking it is not permissible."
The apex court's observation came while hearing a petition seeking the modification of its order permitting the Uttar Pradesh government to utilise funds from the Shri Banke Bihari Temple in Vrindavan to purchase five acres of land around the temple for corridor development.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for petitioner Devendra Nath Gooswami, told the bench that a fund of Rs 300 crore has been given to the Uttar Pradesh government without making him a party.
"They can't take away the funds of a private temple," said Sibal.
On the other hand, counsel appearing for the Uttar Pradesh government told the bench the state has passed an Ordinance and set up a trust to manage the Banke Bihari temple and oversee work on the proposed corridor.
"Now, the enactment has come into force. Funds are with the Trust, not with the state. This enforcement will dilute the direction of the apex court. The state is not using the funds. The Ordinance bars the state from implementing the court's direction, and the Ordinance says the Trust will manage funds and the state has no role to play," said the counsel of Uttar Pradesh.
The apex court then directed the counsel for the state government to place on record a copy of the Ordinance passed concerning the Trust. It directed the concerned Principal Secretary to file an affidavit by July 29.
The petition filed by Gooswami said he was a "lineal descendant" of the temple's founder, Swami Hari Das Goswami, and his family had been managing the affairs of the sacred temple for the last 500 years.
He said he actively managed the temple's daily religious and administrative affairs.
In filing the plea, he said the implementation of the proposed redevelopment project was practically unfeasible, and any attempt to redevelop the temple premises without the involvement and input of those who were historically and operationally associated with the temple's functioning was likely to result in administrative chaos.
On May 15, the top court had permitted the state to use the Trust's fund and also allowed the use of Sri Banke Bihari Temple Trust's fixed deposits after taking into note the state government's Rs. 500 crore development plan for the corridor.