Delhi High Court today asked the Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee (DSGMC) to give it a "nice architectural" design for a water kiosk to be built near the historic Sis Ganj Gurdwara in Chandni Chowk here which would ensure that traffic is not affected in the busy area.
The direction by a bench of justices B D Ahmed and Ashutosh Kumar came in the backdrop of demolition of the water kiosk (piao) there during a drive to remove encroachments from the area in April following the high court's March 28 order. The kiosk was re-built overnight.
The bench asked the committee that instead of aggravating issues, it should think of moving ahead and sort it out.
"As a responsible management (DSGMC), you should respect the court order and in future, design the piao in such a manner that there should be no obstruction of traffic or people walking on the roadside.
"Give us a nice architectural design so that we approve the same in presence of authorities concerned here," the court said, adding that in future, there should be no construction which hinders traffic movement in the area.
Asking it not to take law into your hand being responsible citizens, the bench said "If you think that you are in minority, our Constitution is such that your rights will be protected. India has a constitutional democracy. ... Under our constitutional democracy, even if you are a minority, your rights will be preserved."
This can only be possible if DSGMC's members abide by the courts order, it said.
The court's observation and direction came during hearing of DSGMC's plea that water kiosk and another structure at the Bhai Matidas Chowk there were heritage structures and should not be demolished.
Earlier, the high court had said it would decide whether
the kiosk was a heritage site or not and asked the government to inform it when the kiosk was built.
The court had ordered removal of illegal encroachments from footpaths and roadside of Chandni Chowk.
A mob took to violent protests in April when municipal officials had demolished the kiosk following the high court's order. The 'piao' was rebuilt overnight after the officials left.
Against this, a contempt was filed in the court and the members of the committee were directed to file their response.
The court today said "being responsible citizens, you should say that you will abide court's order and also apologise for your past conduct."
"There was a order, you have to abide by it," the court said, adding that "who would like to antagonise the Sikhs. Even the Punjab election is there next year."
The court has now fixed the matter for November 10 by when it has asked the committee and the authorities to give the current photographs of the area.
It also asked them to file the plan and manner in which they will proceed further in the future.
The bench had earlier expressed displeasure over the reconstruction of the water kiosk near Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib after its demolition on judicial orders and warned that it would not tolerate people taking law into their hands.
