The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) has announced a countrywide public awakening campaign to free Hindu temples from control of government.
The Hindu outfit has demanded that the state governments should detach themselves from the control, management and daily works of temples as it is discriminatory towards the Hindu community.
The VHP will call for liberation of temples from government control from Vijayawada on January 5. On Thursday, the Hindu right wing organisaiton announced a nationwide public awakening campaign against government’s control over Hindu temples, citing autonomy of mosques and churches.
The call for this nationwide campaign will be given at ‘Haindava Shankhaaraavam’, a huge gathering to be organized in Andhra Pradesh’s Vijayawada.
VHP demanded that the work of management and control of temples should now be handed over to the devoted and capable people of the Hindu society.
The Hindu outfit claimed that it has formed a think tank comprising of Supreme Court lawyers, retired Chief Justices, revered leading figures of the Sant Samaj and VHP volunteers, which has prepared a draft after studying the protocols of management of temples and to resolve any kind of dispute related to it.
VHP’s roadmap for the transformation of temple management from government’s purview to the society consists of constituting a ‘dharmic council’ at state levels with people holding constitutional posts as its members.
These state level councils will also have revered figures of the Hindu community, retired judges and retired government officials and experts in Hindu scriptures and rituals.
These state councils would elect the district level councils which in turn will choose the trustees of the local temples. A process will also be decided to resolve disputes.
Milind Parande, VHP’s organizing general secretary said, “It is unfortunate that after the country’s independence, the temples should have been handed over to the Hindu society but many state governments ignored Articles 12, 25 and 26 of the Constitution.
When no mosque or church is under their control, then why this discrimination against Hindus? Despite clear indications by many High Courts and the Supreme Court, the governments kept occupying and subjugating the management and properties of temples.”
However, VHP has urged that before handing over the temples to the Hindu society, non-Hindus employed in temples should be removed and only practising Hindus should be employed in the worship, offerings and service of God.
It has also demanded that no politician should be appointed on the trust boards and management of temples. It also demanded that the income of temples should be spent only for the propagation of Hindu religion and service to the society and not on government works.
Last week, VHP members met Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and handed over a draft of such a proposed law to him for his consideration and are also planning to have similar discussions with other state governments and various political parties.
In September, VHP had submitted a memorandum to all the Governors and requested their governments to withdraw from the management of temples.
