CJI to petitioner: ‘If you are a Vishnu devotee, go and ask deity…’

NEW DELHI: Terming it a “publicity interest litigation”, Supreme Court Tuesday dismissed a plea seeking directions to reconstruct and reinstall a seven-foot idol of Lord Vishnu at the Javari Temple, part of the UNESCO World Heritage Khajuraho temple complex in Madhya Pradesh.A bench headed by Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran refused to entertain the plea filed by one Rakesh Dalal, who sought the replacement and consecration of the damaged idol at the Javari Temple in Chhatarpur district.”This is purely publicity interest litigation… Go and ask the deity himself to do something. If you are saying you are a strong devotee of Lord Vishnu, then you pray and do some meditation,” the CJI said.The petitioner’s counsel said the idol’s head was dilapidated & urged SC to intervene to allow its reconstruction.SC said the issue squarely fell under Archaeological Survey of India’s jurisdiction . “It’s an archaeological find, whether ASI would permit such a thing to be done or not… there are various issues,” CJI said.The CJI added, “In the meantime, if you are not averse to Shaivism, you can go and worship there… there is a very big linga of Shiva, one of the biggest in Khajuraho.”