Maharashtra Temple Trusts To Meet On December 25 & 26 In Shirdi To Demand 'Sanatan Temple Board'

Mumbai: Trustees and representatives from nearly a thousand Hindu temples in Maharashtra will meet on December 25 and 26 in Shirdi to demand an end to government involvement in temple management and the creation of a Sanatan Temple Board on the lines of the Muslim Waqf Board.

The meeting will also demand a law to stop encroachment and illegal sale of temple land and the institution of a dress code for entry into temples.

The meeting, organised by the Maharashtra Mandir Nyas Parishad, the Hindu Janajagruti Samiti, the Shree Jivdani Devi temple in Virar and the Bhimashankar Jyotirlinga temple in Pune, will be attended by representatives of prominent temples like the Ashtavinayak shrines, the Trimbakeshwar Jyotirlinga temple near Nashik, and the Dehu shrine.

Advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain who is part of the legal fight over the Krishna Janmabhoomi, Gyanvapi Shringar Gauri, and Sambhal Jami Masjid, will attend, along with archeologists, Jain trusts, and activists leading anti-corruption campaigns at Kolhapur's Mahalaxmi temple and Pandharpur's Vithoba shrine, both of which are under government regulations.

Officials from government-controlled shrines like Siddhivinayak in Mumbai, Pandharpur Vithal temple, and Shirdi Sai Baba temple, will not be part of the meeting.

Sunit Ghanwat of the Hindu Janajagruti Samiti said that they recently met cabinet minister Bharat Gogawale as part of the preparations for the meeting. “He assured us that the new government will ensure that there is no injustice against temples,” said Ghanwat.

“There have been cases where temple lands have been sold to builders at very low prices. In Amravati, land worth Rs 50 crores belonging to the Someshwar temple was sold for a fraction of the price by the tehsildar to builders. Similarly, the Balaji Devasthan in Akola lost land worth Rs 30 crores,” said Ghanwat who added that temples have also lost land to Wakf trusts.

Another demand is the constitution of a Sanatan Board on the lines of the Waqf Act to administer Hindu temples. “Christian churches have a diocesan board and Muslim trusts report to the Waqf Board. Why should Hindu temples be regulated by the government?” asked Ghanwat.

Hemant Jadhav, manager of Mumbai's Mumbadevi temple, said he has received an invitation to attend the Shirdi meeting. “I may not be able to attend, but I will try to send a representative. The meeting will discuss issues that are crucial for Hindu temples,” said Jadhav.