This is a great news. Organized effort is more successful than a disunited one.
Temple trust of Maharashtra is uniting temples against government take over of
temples and shrines. Congress government in Maharashtra has passed a law to take
over temples and shrines of Hindus, Buddhists, and Jains. We should encourage
temples in othear states to join hands to oppose government take over. VHP can
play a part in organizing such trusts in other states. Pleasev read the story.
http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/column_temple-trusts-unite-against-draft-law-to-control-their-shrines_1482666 R.
Singh
Temple trusts unite against draft law to control their shrines
Manoj R Nair | Saturday, December 18, 2010
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A two-year-old campaign to oppose a new law that would give the state power over
Hindu religious institutions has been revived by the formation of a new temple
federation in the state.
Three weeks ago in Mumbai, opponents of the legislation formed the Maharashtra
Temple and Religious Institution Federation (Mandir ani Dharmik Sanstha
Mahasangh) which, among other things, will oppose plans to give the state more
control over the management and finances of the state's Hindu, Jain, Sikh and
Buddhists shrines.
In the past, the state government has passed separate legislations to take over
the administration of three of the biggest shrines in the state — Pandharpur,
Shirdi and Siddhivinayak. However, the 15th law commission proposed a single
bill to take control of all shrines in the state.
Article continues below the advertisement...
"When the government takes control of single temples, trusts find it difficult
to fight the takeover. We have gathered temples under one association to fight
the law," said Ramesh Shinde of Hindu Janjagran Samiti, one of the groups
leading the protests against the law.
The proposal to enact the law was first made in 2007. The draft of the new act
is ready and, while it unlikely that it will be discussed in the current meet of
the state legislature, the state government has made it clear that it proposes
to bring in the new act.
Opponents of the proposal were galvanised a few months ago when the then state
law minister Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil said that corruption was a problem in
temple trusts and that the government has decided to enact the law.
Though the state chief minister later clarified that they were not in a hurry to
introduce the legislation in the assembly, the temple federation was formed in
response to the government plans.
Opponents of the bill say that it targets only institutions owned by some
communities while allowing other groups tomanage their religious affairs
independently.
While agreeing that temple trusts are often guilty of corruption, they say that
government interference is not the solution to the problem.
Chanchal Choudhary of the T G Charitable Trust that manages some of the oldest
temples in Mumbai like Mahalaxmi's Dhakleswar shrine said, "It is strange that
at a time when the government is diluting its stake and control in companies, it
is interested in running religious institutions."
Jain groups have joined the opponents as their shrines will also come under the
ambit of the law. "This law is interference in the religious affairs of certain
communities. We will keep on opposing it," said Mangalprabhat Lodha, a Jain
member of legislative assembly from Mumbai.
There are around 4,00,000 temples and religious institutions in the state. The
new federation is now enrolling members from across the state. Apart from
campaigning against the proposed act, the group says that will also restore
dilapidated shrines in the state.
Temple trusts unite against draft law to control their shrines
Manoj R Nair | Saturday, December 18, 2010
Comments | Post a comment | Share this article | Print | Email
4 Share
A two-year-old campaign to oppose a new law that would give the state power over
Hindu religious institutions has been revived by the formation of a new temple
federation in the state.
Three weeks ago in Mumbai, opponents of the legislation formed the Maharashtra
Temple and Religious Institution Federation (Mandir ani Dharmik Sanstha
Mahasangh) which, among other things, will oppose plans to give the state more
control over the management and finances of the state's Hindu, Jain, Sikh and
Buddhists shrines.
In the past, the state government has passed separate legislations to take over
the administration of three of the biggest shrines in the state — Pandharpur,
Shirdi and Siddhivinayak. However, the 15th law commission proposed a single
bill to take control of all shrines in the state.
Article continues below the advertisement...
"When the government takes control of single temples, trusts find it difficult
to fight the takeover. We have gathered temples under one association to fight
the law," said Ramesh Shinde of Hindu Janjagran Samiti, one of the groups
leading the protests against the law.
The proposal to enact the law was first made in 2007. The draft of the new act
is ready and, while it unlikely that it will be discussed in the current meet of
the state legislature, the state government has made it clear that it proposes
to bring in the new act.
Opponents of the proposal were galvanised a few months ago when the then state
law minister Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil said that corruption was a problem in
temple trusts and that the government has decided to enact the law.
Though the state chief minister later clarified that they were not in a hurry to
introduce the legislation in the assembly, the temple federation was formed in
response to the government plans.
Opponents of the bill say that it targets only institutions owned by some
communities while allowing other groups tomanage their religious affairs
independently.
While agreeing that temple trusts are often guilty of corruption, they say that
government interference is not the solution to the problem.
Chanchal Choudhary of the T G Charitable Trust that manages some of the oldest
temples in Mumbai like Mahalaxmi's Dhakleswar shrine said, "It is strange that
at a time when the government is diluting its stake and control in companies, it
is interested in running religious institutions."
Jain groups have joined the opponents as their shrines will also come under the
ambit of the law. "This law is interference in the religious affairs of certain
communities. We will keep on opposing it," said Mangalprabhat Lodha, a Jain
member of legislative assembly from Mumbai.
There are around 4,00,000 temples and religious institutions in the state. The
new federation is now enrolling members from across the state. Apart from
campaigning against the proposed act, the group says that will also restore
dilapidated shrines in the state.
Temple trusts unite against draft law to control their shrines
Manoj R Nair | Saturday, December 18, 2010
Comments | Post a comment | Share this article | Print | Email
4 Share
A two-year-old campaign to oppose a new law that would give the state power over
Hindu religious institutions has been revived by the formation of a new temple
federation in the state.
Three weeks ago in Mumbai, opponents of the legislation formed the Maharashtra
Temple and Religious Institution Federation (Mandir ani Dharmik Sanstha
Mahasangh) which, among other things, will oppose plans to give the state more
control over the management and finances of the state's Hindu, Jain, Sikh and
Buddhists shrines.
In the past, the state government has passed separate legislations to take over
the administration of three of the biggest shrines in the state — Pandharpur,
Shirdi and Siddhivinayak. However, the 15th law commission proposed a single
bill to take control of all shrines in the state.
Article continues below the advertisement...
"When the government takes control of single temples, trusts find it difficult
to fight the takeover. We have gathered temples under one association to fight
the law," said Ramesh Shinde of Hindu Janjagran Samiti, one of the groups
leading the protests against the law.
The proposal to enact the law was first made in 2007. The draft of the new act
is ready and, while it unlikely that it will be discussed in the current meet of
the state legislature, the state government has made it clear that it proposes
to bring in the new act.
Opponents of the proposal were galvanised a few months ago when the then state
law minister Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil said that corruption was a problem in
temple trusts and that the government has decided to enact the law.
Though the state chief minister later clarified that they were not in a hurry to
introduce the legislation in the assembly, the temple federation was formed in
response to the government plans.
Opponents of the bill say that it targets only institutions owned by some
communities while allowing other groups tomanage their religious affairs
independently.
While agreeing that temple trusts are often guilty of corruption, they say that
government interference is not the solution to the problem.
Chanchal Choudhary of the T G Charitable Trust that manages some of the oldest
temples in Mumbai like Mahalaxmi's Dhakleswar shrine said, "It is strange that
at a time when the government is diluting its stake and control in companies, it
is interested in running religious institutions."
Jain groups have joined the opponents as their shrines will also come under the
ambit of the law. "This law is interference in the religious affairs of certain
communities. We will keep on opposing it," said Mangalprabhat Lodha, a Jain
member of legislative assembly from Mumbai.
There are around 4,00,000 temples and religious institutions in the state. The
new federation is now enrolling members from across the state. Apart from
campaigning against the proposed act, the group says that will also restore
dilapidated shrines in the state.
Temple trusts unite against draft law to control their shrines
Manoj R Nair | Saturday, December 18, 2010
Comments | Post a comment | Share this article | Print | Email
4 Share
A two-year-old campaign to oppose a new law that would give the state power over
Hindu religious institutions has been revived by the formation of a new temple
federation in the state.
Three weeks ago in Mumbai, opponents of the legislation formed the Maharashtra
Temple and Religious Institution Federation (Mandir ani Dharmik Sanstha
Mahasangh) which, among other things, will oppose plans to give the state more
control over the management and finances of the state's Hindu, Jain, Sikh and
Buddhists shrines.
In the past, the state government has passed separate legislations to take over
the administration of three of the biggest shrines in the state — Pandharpur,
Shirdi and Siddhivinayak. However, the 15th law commission proposed a single
bill to take control of all shrines in the state.
Article continues below the advertisement...
"When the government takes control of single temples, trusts find it difficult
to fight the takeover. We have gathered temples under one association to fight
the law," said Ramesh Shinde of Hindu Janjagran Samiti, one of the groups
leading the protests against the law.
The proposal to enact the law was first made in 2007. The draft of the new act
is ready and, while it unlikely that it will be discussed in the current meet of
the state legislature, the state government has made it clear that it proposes
to bring in the new act.
Opponents of the proposal were galvanised a few months ago when the then state
law minister Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil said that corruption was a problem in
temple trusts and that the government has decided to enact the law.
Though the state chief minister later clarified that they were not in a hurry to
introduce the legislation in the assembly, the temple federation was formed in
response to the government plans.
Opponents of the bill say that it targets only institutions owned by some
communities while allowing other groups tomanage their religious affairs
independently.
While agreeing that temple trusts are often guilty of corruption, they say that
government interference is not the solution to the problem.
Chanchal Choudhary of the T G Charitable Trust that manages some of the oldest
temples in Mumbai like Mahalaxmi's Dhakleswar shrine said, "It is strange that
at a time when the government is diluting its stake and control in companies, it
is interested in running religious institutions."
Jain groups have joined the opponents as their shrines will also come under the
ambit of the law. "This law is interference in the religious affairs of certain
communities. We will keep on opposing it," said Mangalprabhat Lodha, a Jain
member of legislative assembly from Mumbai.
There are around 4,00,000 temples and religious institutions in the state. The
new federation is now enrolling members from across the state. Apart from
campaigning against the proposed act, the group says that will also restore
dilapidated shrines in the state.
Temple trusts unite against draft law to control their shrines
Manoj R Nair | Saturday, December 18, 2010
Comments | Post a comment | Share this article | Print | Email
4 Share
A two-year-old campaign to oppose a new law that would give the state power over
Hindu religious institutions has been revived by the formation of a new temple
federation in the state.
Three weeks ago in Mumbai, opponents of the legislation formed the Maharashtra
Temple and Religious Institution Federation (Mandir ani Dharmik Sanstha
Mahasangh) which, among other things, will oppose plans to give the state more
control over the management and finances of the state's Hindu, Jain, Sikh and
Buddhists shrines.
In the past, the state government has passed separate legislations to take over
the administration of three of the biggest shrines in the state — Pandharpur,
Shirdi and Siddhivinayak. However, the 15th law commission proposed a single
bill to take control of all shrines in the state.
Article continues below the advertisement...
"When the government takes control of single temples, trusts find it difficult
to fight the takeover. We have gathered temples under one association to fight
the law," said Ramesh Shinde of Hindu Janjagran Samiti, one of the groups
leading the protests against the law.
The proposal to enact the law was first made in 2007. The draft of the new act
is ready and, while it unlikely that it will be discussed in the current meet of
the state legislature, the state government has made it clear that it proposes
to bring in the new act.
Opponents of the proposal were galvanised a few months ago when the then state
law minister Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil said that corruption was a problem in
temple trusts and that the government has decided to enact the law.
Though the state chief minister later clarified that they were not in a hurry to
introduce the legislation in the assembly, the temple federation was formed in
response to the government plans.
Opponents of the bill say that it targets only institutions owned by some
communities while allowing other groups tomanage their religious affairs
independently.
While agreeing that temple trusts are often guilty of corruption, they say that
government interference is not the solution to the problem.
Chanchal Choudhary of the T G Charitable Trust that manages some of the oldest
temples in Mumbai like Mahalaxmi's Dhakleswar shrine said, "It is strange that
at a time when the government is diluting its stake and control in companies, it
is interested in running religious institutions."
Jain groups have joined the opponents as their shrines will also come under the
ambit of the law. "This law is interference in the religious affairs of certain
communities. We will keep on opposing it," said Mangalprabhat Lodha, a Jain
member of legislative assembly from Mumbai.
There are around 4,00,000 temples and religious institutions in the state. The
new federation is now enrolling members from across the state. Apart from
campaigning against the proposed act, the group says that will also restore
dilapidated shrines in the state.
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