Supreme Court Criticizes UP Government's Interference in Temple Dispute

The Supreme Court of India strongly criticized the Uttar Pradesh government on Tuesday for intervening in a private legal dispute regarding the management of the Shri Banke Bihari temple in Vrindavan. The bench of Justices B V Nagarathna and Satish Chandra Sharma warned that such state interventions could disrupt the rule of law.

The court questioned the state's involvement in the litigation and emphasized that a state taking over a private dispute is impermissible. This comes amid ongoing discussions about a redevelopment plan proposed by the UP government, which includes a Rs 300 crore fund for the temple without the consent of the parties involved.

Advocate Kapil Sibal argued against the state's involvement, while the UP government stated that a trust would oversee the temple's redevelopment. However, petitions from Devendra Nath Gooswami, claiming historical and operational ties to the temple, express concerns over the impacts of these plans on religious and cultural heritage.

(With inputs from agencies.)