Uttar Pradesh Plan to Control Hindu Temples

06-20-2006, 04:28 AM

June 15, LUCKNOW, INDIA (HINDU) — Uttar Pradesh State Plans Law to Control
Hindu Temples, Monasteries and Trusts.

BY: STAFF CORRESPONDENT

The Uttar Pradesh Government plans to enact a law which would enable it to
monitor the activities of temples, mutts and religious trusts, and also have a
big say in their management. A meeting has been convened by State Chief
Secretary N.C. Bajpai on June 13 for finalizing the draft Bill on the subject.
The meeting will be attended by the principal secretaries of law and religious
endowment departments.

Religious Endowment Minister Ashok Bajpai said the Government did not want to
unnecessarily interfere in the affairs of temples, mutts and religious trusts,
nor were there any plans to take over their control. Speaking to The Hindu, Mr.
Bajpai said: "There has to be a foolproof arrangement for keeping a close watch
on the management of the religious places as not only were the sewadars and
workers exploited by the mahants and pujaris, dispute over property owned by
the mutts and temples has often led to the murder of priests."

He said temple towns were also leading tourist centres -- Varanasi, Allahabad,
Mathura, Ayodhya and Chitrakoot. "Proper management of temples will promote
tourism in the State," he said. Through the proposed legislation, income from
the temples, mutts and religious trusts will be ploughed back for the welfare
of their workers.

For the purpose of the legislation, temples and mutts have been divided into 3
grades: temples of international and national fame; temples of State fame;
regional and local level temples, mutts and religious trusts.

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In service of Srimati Vrinda Devi,
Deena Bandhu dasa