Vishva Hindu Parishad Secretary General (Org.) Milind Parande addresses a press conference, in New Delhi, on December 26, 2024.
| Photo Credit: PTI
The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), an offshoot of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, on Thursday (December 26, 2024) announced to launch a nationwide public awakening campaign to free Hindu temples from the control of governments. The organisation is setting up a think tank comprising retired judges from the Supreme Court and high courts, as well as lawyers and religious leaders, who after studying the protocols of temple management, will prepare a draft to free the temples and to resolve any kind of dispute related to it.
The VHP also demanded that all non-Hindus employed in temples and endowment departments be removed and only practising Hindus of faith be employed in the worship, offerings, and service to Hindu deities.
Addressing the media in Delhi, the VHP’s organising general secretary Milind Parande said that now all the State governments should detach themselves from “discriminatory” the control, management, and day-to-day operation of temples.
“Under the leadership of the revered seer community and the leading figures of the Hindu society, we are going to start a countrywide public awareness campaign for liberation of temples from government control. The campaign will start from Vijayawada on January 5, 2025,” Mr. Parande said.
He added that it is unfortunate that even after so many years of Independence, Hindu temples are still under the shackles of government control.
“The work of management and control of temples should now be handed over to the devout and able members of Hindu society. To address this, we have formed a think tank which has prepared a draft after studying the protocols of management of temples and to resolve any kind of dispute related to it. The draft has also kept in view the protocols that would be put in place when governments return the temples to Hindu society,” he said.
He further informed that people holding Constitutional posts will form a ‘Dharmic Council’ at State levels. These State level councils would elect the district level councils which in turn will choose the trustees of the local temples in which various sections of the society including the scheduled castes and tribes would participate.
“Before handing over the temples to the Hindu society, we urge that all non-Hindus employed in temples and endowment departments be removed. Following this, only practising Hindus with faith be employed in the worship, offerings, and service of God. Also, no politician or person associated with any political party should be appointed on the trust boards and in the management of temples,” he said.
Mr. Parande added that only Hindus should have shops within and outside the temple premises, and that all encroachments and constructions made by non-Hindus as well as all encroachments and illegal constructions whatsoever on temple lands should be removed. And that the income of temples should be spent only for the propagation of the Hindu Dharma, for the service to society and related issues, and never participate in government work.
Published – December 27, 2024 04:30 am IST
