VHP calls for uniform law governing religious donations for all faiths

Mahakumbh Nagar: Alok Kumar, the international president of the VHP, on Sunday urged the Centre to enact a uniform law governing religious donations for all faiths.

Speaking after a three-day meeting of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) here, Kumar questioned the existence of separate laws for religious donations.

"When Muslims donate land to Allah, it becomes Waqf property. But what happens when Hindus donate to temples, Christians to churches, or Sikhs to gurdwaras? Why are there different laws for different religions," he asked.

Referring to the Waqf Act of 1954, he claimed two Congress Rajya Sabha members questioned the then-law minister about having a separate law for Muslims.

"The minister had said he was considering a common law for all. Now the time has come for the government to implement such a law," Kumar said.

On the issue of “reclaiming” temples in Kashi and Mathura, the VHP functionary said, "We have assured the Hindu community that we will take all constitutional steps to regain these temples." The meeting also discussed the issue of “freeing” Hindu temples from government control.

Kumar said temples across various states have been under government control for 208 years, with laws mandating that 12 per cent of temple revenue be deposited in government coffers as administrative expenses.

He cited a gathering at Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh attended by “2.5 lakh people” to demand temple freedom, and announced plans for similar large-scale meetings in north and south India in the coming months.

"We will meet the chief ministers and legislators of different states to submit memorandums on this issue," he said.

Kumar emphasised that temple governance should remain in the hands of devotees, with representation from all sections of society, including Scheduled Castes and women.

He also claimed that if temples were freed from government control, they could generate an additional Rs 1 lakh crore in revenue for welfare initiatives for Hindus, such as healthcare, religious education, and temple maintenance.

On Waqf properties, Kumar expressed satisfaction with the government''s recent actions and mentioned the VHP’s recommendation to a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) on the Waqf Amendment Bill that Waqf claims should not apply to the scheduled tribal areas.

"The JPC has considered our suggestion and recommended it," he said.

On the demand from certain quarters to declare India a ‘Hindu Rashtra’, Kumar said, "There is no need for such a declaration as India is already a Hindu Rashtra. We do not seek a state with an explicitly religious constitution." The meeting was attended by representatives from across India and abroad, including from the UK, the US, Canada, Germany, Hong Kong, Mauritius, South Africa, France, Thailand, Nepal, Bangladesh and Guyana.

Senior RSS leaders Dattatreya Hosabale and Bhaiyaji Joshi, along with religious figures like Swami Paramanand and Buddhist scholar Lama Chosphel Zotpa, were also present.