Harish Rawat promises to dissolve Devasthanam Board if elected to power

Former chief minister Harish Rawat Tuesday offered prayers at Kedarnath and promised the teerth-purohits at the Himalayan temple he will dissolve the Chardham Devasthanam Board if elected to power.

His forehead smeared with sandalwood paste and a trident in hand, Rawat also danced next to an ascetic with long tresses to the chants of 'Shiv tandav stotram' outside the temple.

The Congress leader later posted several videos of his visit to Kedarnath on his Facebook page.

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Talking to reporters in Kedarnath, Rawat said that most of the reconstruction works done in Kedarpuri had been initiated during his tenure as the chief minister.

"However, the present government has made superficial changes in the works to put its own stamp on them and pass them off as its own," he said.

When asked about his priorities if elected to power again, Rawat said he would first take up his unfinished work and ensure that the traditional rights of hak-hakookdharis and priests remain intact.

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To a question on whether he would dissolve the Devasthanam Board, he said, "From our side, it stands dissolved". The teerth-purohits standing next to Rawat greeted his announcement with loud cheers shouting slogans like "Harish Rawat tum sangharsh karo hum tumhare saath hain," (Harish Rawat you lead the fight we are with you).

Teerth-purohits have been agitating against the board ever since it came into existence during Trivendra Singh Rawat's tenure.

They feel it was an encroachment upon their traditional rights over the temple. Prompted by their prolonged agitation against the board, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami had to set up a committee headed by Manohar Kant Dhyani to look into the issue and submit a report.

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The panel spoke to all stakeholders and submitted its report to the state government on Monday.

However, the recommendations of the committee have not been made public. 

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