PRAYAGRAJ, Jan 24 (HS): Swami Brahmashram Maharaj, President of the Akhil Bharatiya Dandi Swami Parishad, as well as seers and saints from other Hindu organisations, have urged that temples and Hindu mutts be free of government influence. Prominent saints and seers gathered on the Mela campus to demand that all Hindu temples and mutts across the country be free of government control. "When the government has no authority over churches and mosques, why should it have control over Hindu temples and mutts?" questioned Maharaj after attending an important meeting at the Akhil Bharatiya Dandi Sanyasi Parishad camp in Sector-5 on the Mela campus.
"According to Sanatan Dharma tradition, ashrams and Sanskrit schools should be operated by temples and mutts," he explained. "As a result, the government should implement a similar approach and release temples from its authority as soon as possible. Prominent seers and saints of the country would lead a mass effort to liberate Hindu temples and maths across the country from government tyranny," Maharaj warned. "It's an irony because Sanatan Dharma and its followers have always been on the target of the government since the country gained freedom from British rule,? he added. ?The government has not yet taken control of a single mosque or church in the country." With the exception of temples, none of the government has dared to investigate the actions taking place inside religious places of other religions," said the Peethadhishwar Swami.
According to the seers, "not only are the affairs of many famous temples in the country under government supervision, but certain temples and mutts are also being looked after by members of other religions who are unaware of our religious traditions and ceremonies." The Dandi sanyasi also argued that the day-to-day activities, or religious ceremonies and practices of temples and mutts should be exclusively reserved for the people of the Hindu religion. When asked who the saints and seers will vote for in the state assembly election, they answered, "We will vote for the party that will work in the best interests of the country. It should also have a defined development objective and be able to keep the state riot-free."
HS/Abhishek Awasthi
