VHP to launch campaign from Jan 5 to free temples from govt control
New Delhi: The Vishva Hindu Parishad on Thursday announced a countrywide public awakening campaign from January 5, 2025, to free Hindu temples from government control.
Addressing a press conference, VHP Organizing General Secretary Milind Parande said that all the state governments should detach themselves from the control, management and daily works of temples because such activities are discriminatory towards the Hindu society.
“When no mosque or church is under government, then why this discrimination against Hindus?” asked Parande.
“Under the leadership of the revered Sant Samaj and the leading figures of the Hindu society, we are going to start a countrywide public awareness campaign on January 5. The call for this all-Bharat campaign will be given at a special gathering of lakhs of people called ‘Haindava Shankhaaraavam’ to be organised in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh,” he said.
The VHP Organising General Secretary said that it is unfortunate that after Independence, many temples that should have been handed over to the Hindu society were kept under state governments.
Parande said that the work of management and control of temples should now be handed over to the devoted and capable people of the Hindu society. “To address this, we have formed a Think Tank comprising of eminent lawyers of the Supreme Court, retired Chief Justices of HCs, leading figures of the Sant Samaj and Karyakartas of Vishva Hindu Parishad, which has prepared a draft after studying the protocols of management of temples and to resolve any kind of dispute related to it,” he said.
It has also been kept in mind as to when the governments return the temples to the society, what would be the protocols to accept it and under what provisions, he said. “That is why some persons holding constitutional posts will constitute a Dharmic Council at state levels comprising revered Dharmacharyas, retired judges and retired government officials and also other eminent people of the society who are experts in Hindu scriptures and Aagam Shaastras and rituals,” he added.
“These state-level councils would elect the district level councils which, in turn, will choose the trustees of the local temples in which various sections of the society along with scheduled castes and tribes would participate, he said, adding that a process will be decided for resolving disputes.
“Last week, we met Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and handed over a draft of such a proposed to him for his consideration. We are also holding similar discussions with other state governments and various political parties,” he said.
Earlier, on September 30, the VHP had submitted a memorandum to the Governors of all the states and requested their governments to withdraw from the management of temples. “This All Bharat Jagran Abhiyan for the liberation of temples, the awakening of Hindu society has begun to protect the movable and immovable properties of these temples and to make proper use of them for the service of the Hindu society and propagation of religion, he said.
Before handing over the temples to the Hindu society, the VHP urged that all encroachments and constructions made by non-Hindus and all encroachments and illegal constructions whatsoever on temple lands should be removed. The income of temples should be spent only for the propagation of the Hindu religion, service to society and related issues, never on government works, the VHP said.