'Dharam Sansad' for liberating temples from govt control

Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh), Jan 5 (IANS) Prominent seers and religious organisations have decided to take a 'firm decision' to free Hindu temples and mutts across the country from the control of state governments at the 'Dharam Sansad' to be held later this month at the upcoming Magh Mela in Prayagraj.

Mahant Ravindra Puri, president of the Akhil Bhartiya Akhara Parishad (ABAP), the apex decision-making body of 13 Hindu akharas or monastic orders of the country, said, "The all-important 'Dharam Sansad', scheduled to be held on January 30, will prepare a blueprint for a mass movement to be launched for freeing temples from government control."

Puri said, "It is an irony that several officials, who are of different religions, take decisions on our temples and mutts and this situation cannot be allowed to continue any more. Affairs of many prominent temples of our country, including Tirupati Balaji, Sri Jagannath or Siddhi Vinayak, are being looked after by the government. Furthermore, there are some temples and mutts which are being looked after by persons who are of different religions and are not well aware of our religious practices and rituals."

President of Akhil Bhartiya Dandi Swami Parishad, Swami Brahmashram, said, "Governments should not have a say in managing funds, day-to-day affairs or for that matter the religious rituals and practices of temples and mutts."

The 'Dharam Sansad' at Magh Mela is significant because it represents all saints and religious organisations and is authorised to take up issues related to Hindu religion.

The Dharam Sansad has earlier discussed the issues like construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya, Krishna temple at Mathura, Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi, making the Ganga pollution-free, deaths of cows, etc.

Meanwhile, it has been decided by the prominent seers of the Akhara Parishad that a 'panchkoshi parikrama' would be held at Prayagraj from January 27 to 29.

ABAP general secretary Mahant Hari Giri would lead the 'parikrama'.

The Dharam Sansad is proposed to be held at a camp named after 'Bhagwan Duttatreya' on January 30.