VHP to launch nationwide campaign to free Hindu temples from govt control

Addressing a press conference, VHP organising general secretary Milind Parande said that a draft law for administration and management of the Hindu temples by members of the community has already been prepared.

New Delhi: The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Thursday said that it will launch a nationwide campaign to free Hindu temples from the control of governments in states, starting with a public awareness programme in Vijayawada city of Andhra Pradesh on January 5.

Addressing a press conference here, VHP organising general secretary Milind Parande said that a draft law for administration and management of the Hindu temples by members of the community has already been prepared.

“I gave a copy of the draft to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu a few days ago for his consideration,” he said.

The draft law has been prepared by a think tank comprising some retired chief justices of the High Courts, lawyers of the Supreme Court, religious leaders and VHP workers, Parande said.

“We were working on it for the last 2-3 years and a think tank was formed to prepare the draft,” he added.

Parande said that temples in India were brought under the control of the government during the British rule with eye on their funds and property.

He said it’s “unfortunate” these temples continue to be under the control of the governments in the states even after the Independence.

“We are going to start a massive public awareness campaign on this issue across the country. And, the first programme will be held in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh on January 5 to raise the issue,” he told reporters.

The event is expected to be attended by a large number of people including seers “who will guide the society”, he said, adding, “More than two lakh people have already registered to participate in the programme”.

Without naming the BJP, the VHP functionary said the Karnataka government had expressed its “readiness” to hand over all the temples to Hindu society in the state two years ago but “unfortunately” the party in power could not win the election and the issue remained unresolved.

Parande said that the draft law, prepared by the think tank, provides for setting up of a dharmic council in the states comprising “revered religious leaders, retired judges, retired government officials and other eminent people of the society who are experts in Hindu scriptures, Agama Shastras and rituals”.

He said 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 along with scheduled castes and tribes would participate.

Only practising Hindus will be the appointed in these bodies, the VHP functionary said.

No politician or any person associated with any political party would appointed to the temple administration and management bodies, he added.

“The income of temples would be spent on the propagation of Hindu dharma, service to the society and related issues, never on the government works,” Parande said.