Saints at Magh Mela want temples to be free from govt control

Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh), Jan 21: Prominent seers, saints and religious organisations have demanded that Hindu temples and mutts across the country should be freed from the government control.

At a meeting held in the ongoing Magh Mela at the camp of Akhil Bhartiya Dandi Sanyasi Parishad, Peethadhishwar Swami Brahmashram Maharaj, along with seers and saints of different organisations demanded that temples and mutts should be free from government control.

Maharaj said that the government has no control over churches and mosques across the country, so why should Hindu temples and mutts be controlled by the government.

"There has been a 'sanatan dharam' tradition in which ashrams and Sanskrit schools are being run from temples. Government should adopt a similar policy and free temples from its control at the earliest," he said.

Brahmashram Maharaj further said that "Prominent seers, saints of the country would launch a mass movement soon to free Hindu temples and maths across the country from the control of governments."

He also said, "It's an irony that sanatan dharam and its followers have always been on the target of the government since post- Independence. Till now, not a single mosque or church across India was controlled by the government."

He stated that none of the governments had dared to look into the activities being done inside other religious places, except the temples.

Saints claimed that affairs of many prominent temples of our country are being looked after by the government.

Furthermore, there are some other temples and mutts which are being looked after by persons, who are of different religions and are not well aware of our religious practices and rituals.

Dandi sanyasi said that the governments should not have a say in managing funds, day-to-day affairs or for that matter the religious rituals and practices of temples and mutts.