Haridwar: The two-day meeting of the Kendriye Margdarshak Mandal of the Vishva Hindu Parishad concluded at Nishkam Seva Trust, Bhupatwala, Haridwar, with resolutions focusing on transparency in temple administration, cow protection and promotion, de-addiction, review of family laws, and strengthening unity within Hindu society. Addressing a joint press conference, Dandi Swami Pujya Swami Jitendranand Saraswati and VHP International President Alok Kumar outlined the key discussions and resolutions adopted during the meeting.
Review of Family Laws
The family institution is one of Hindu thought’s significant contributions to the world. The institution of marriage regulates and disciplines human desires. In recent years, certain decisions have emerged that give rise to concern, such as decriminalising adultery, permitting live-in relationships without marriage, and allowing same-sex couples to live together as husband and wife. An environment appears to be developing in which marriage is seen as a burden and unrestricted relationships gain social acceptance. This would be harmful.
At the same time, traditional social mechanisms for resolving family disputes are weakening. Disputes involving husband and wife, children, or parents are increasingly being taken to the police and courts rather than being resolved through dialogue within the family and society. This often creates hostility rather than solutions.
The Margdarshak Mandal believes that the time has come to review all family laws. Family laws should be aligned with and made consistent with the institutions of family and marriage.
The Margdarshak Mandal also appealed to parents, saints, and social leaders to inspire future generations to understand their Swadharma and shape their lives accordingly.
Ram Temple Donation Issue
Serious allegations are being made regarding offerings and donations at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. The Trust considers itself responsible for every single rupee belonging to Bhagwan Ram. Therefore, as soon as the issue surfaced, the Trust itself requested the Chief Minister to constitute a Special Investigation Team (SIT). A high-level SIT has been formed. Champat Rai has presented himself before the SIT for questioning. The Trust will fully cooperate with the investigation. Whoever is found guilty, regardless of their position, should be punished. There is also a need to expand the scope of the investigation. The accounts of other trusts that collected money or gold in the name of the Ram Temple, including the Ramalaya Trust and the Ram Janm Mandir Punarnirman Trust, should also be investigated.
Before arriving at any conclusion, it is necessary to wait for the completion of the investigation. It would not be appropriate to cast aspersions on everyone at this stage. It must also be determined who acted dishonestly and whose fault, if any, was due to negligence. There is a need to make all arrangements related to the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple completely free from defects. Recommendations in this regard have also been sought from the SIT. There should be no delay in this work.
Society must remain alert to attempts to make Ayodhya a political issue in the 2027 Assembly elections. The Congress and Samajwadi Party have consistently opposed the Ram Temple and were responsible for the suppression of and firing upon Kar Sevaks. They had even submitted affidavits before the Supreme Court claiming that Shri Ram was not a historical figure but a fictional character.
The demand for an all-party committee to investigate the matter is absurd. Can representatives of political parties conduct a criminal investigation? Do they possess experience in such investigations? Does the law permit political representatives to conduct criminal inquiries? Moreover, some of these individuals appear to have already declared the outcome before the investigation is complete. Hindu society will not accept political interference in this matter.
Cow Protection and Cow Promotion
The meeting also deliberated on cow protection and promotion. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and Vishva Hindu Parishad have continuously worked in this field. In 1948, the Sangh submitted more than two crore signatures to the President in support of cow protection. The organisations also played a significant role in the massive demonstration of November 7, 1966.
Every year, Bajrang Dal workers rescue more than two lakh cattle from slaughter. The VHP believes that a central law should be enacted for the protection of the entire cattle population. It also agrees that the government should adopt a dignified title for the cow. Some have suggested that the term “Rashtra Mata” (Mother of the Nation) would be appropriate. The VHP will launch a nationwide campaign with saints to build consensus on this issue.
In some states, existing laws permit the slaughter of cattle above 14 years of age. The VHP will urge all state governments to enact stricter laws to ensure complete protection of cattle.
The VHP will also encourage capable members of society to take up cow rearing. Income generated from cow dung and cow urine can significantly offset the costs of maintaining cattle. Cow rearing in households is viewed as a practical solution to the issue.
De-Addiction Campaign
To combat the growing problem of substance abuse in the country, Bajrang Dal has been conducting an intensive de-addiction campaign for the past year. To make the campaign more effective, revered saints will now undertake a wider public awareness initiative on the issue.
650th Birth Anniversary of Sant Ravidas
The saints appealed that the 650th birth anniversary of Sant Ravidas, a great spiritual leader and pioneer of social harmony, should be observed throughout the year across the country by all sections of society. His inspirational messages and teachings should be widely disseminated to strengthen social harmony and national unity.
