Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi said on Tuesday that his government is ready to bear the entire expenditure for acquiring land for the construction of Guru Ravidas Temple at Tughlakabad in New Delhi.

On the orders of the Supreme Court, the Ravidas Temple in Tughlakabad was demolished in August 2019. But later the apex court allowed the reconstruction of the temple.

Devotees say that Guru Ravidas visited this place in 1509 during the reign of Sikander Lodhi.

Channi said the Delhi Development Authority had recently asked the Guru Ravidas Vishram Dham Mandir Chamarwala Johar Tughlakabad Committee to deposit Rs 4.33 crore for acquiring 400 square metres of land, according to an official statement.

Since the amount was quite hefty, he said various delegations approached him for seeking requisite contribution from the state government.

As the Punjab government is already following the ideology of Guru Ravidas in the right earnest to ensure well-being of one and all, it has now decided that it will bear the entire expense for procuring the land to construct the temple at Tughlakabad if the committee desires so, the chief minister said.

Channi said he would be the most fortunate and blessed one in case the committee wishes to bestow service to the state government led by him.

Terming this gesture as a humble tribute by the Punjab government to Guru Ravidas, Channi said Guru Ravidas made tireless efforts for bringing social awakening through ethos of equality and harmony.

Referring to 'Bani' of Guru Ravidas included in sacred Guru Granth Sahib, the repository of knowledge, faith and learning for the entire mankind, Channi said it is the moral duty of the state government to uphold the glorious legacy of the great guru for coming generations.