A Global Hindu Temple Network. www.ghtn.in has been launched in January this year. The founding Trustees are Dr. V.S. Sampath, the former Chief Election Commissioner of India, Mr. Amulya Charan, former Chief Executive of Tata Power Company and Mr. Mohinder Gulati, former Chief Operating Officer of United Nations Sustainable Energy for All.
Why is this Network needed?
In India different state governments control more than 4 lakh Hindu temples. In a secular country where no other place of worship is controlled by the government it is ironic that only one religion is discriminated against. Regrettably, revenue and assets of Hindu temples under government control are swindled by vested interests instead of being used for the welfare of the communities they serve and for the preservation and propagation of their religion.
One also regularly reads of discrimination against Hindu temples and the temple communities in India and in many foreign countries. Unlike other religions, Hindu temples and local communities act in isolation and fail to raise their collective voice in support of each other. A major reason is the absence of a coordinating organization and a platform for timely sharing of information among temple communities. If any temple community faces discrimination by the state or the coercion by the other communities, all temples around the world should get to know about it. From Mallapuram to Meerut, from Bakhtiarpur to Bharatpur, from Philadelphia to Pune, all temples will get information about the difficulties faced by any temple community anywhere and support each other. Shared information creates collective consciousness and a coordinated action.
The Network is completely non-political. Please read more details on the website. Three objectives of the Network are to:
1. Create a global platform for Hindu temple communities anywhere in the world to share with each other developments and issues of concern in their communities.
2. Enable the temple communities to raise their collective and coordinated voice against discrimination of Hindu temple communities anywhere in the world to create an impact on the policy makers to: (a) amend the discriminatory policies and actions, (b) adopt policies that allow Hindu temple communities to follow and practice their religion peacefully, and (c) take action against perpetrators of hate crimes and discrimination against the temple communities.
3. Facilitate temple communities to get the control and administration of their temples, help them establish a Management Trust (or Society) and transparent and accountable system of temple administration.
What YOU can do. Please sign up in “Contact” on the website for regular updates. You may also consider: (i) becoming a VOLUNTEER, (ii) contact the local temples to explain to them the purpose of the Network and become MEMBER TEMPLE, (iii) spread the word about the Network to your family and friends to participate in this effort to create strong, organized, energetic Hindu temple communities.
CONTACT: Email: [email protected] PHONE +91-11-25459090; 8448820203 (Mr. Yugainder Rishi)
