Issue of Congress ploy to apply ‘Mumbai Shops and Establishments Act’ to temples

Law will not apply to religious places where religious rituals are performed – confusing assurance by Labour Minister to Hindus

Mumbai (Maharashtra) : We will try that the religious places (temples, mosques, churches, gurudwaras, agyari [Parsi fire temple] etc.) where worshipping and religious rituals are taking place, the ‘Mumbai Shops and Establishments Act, 1948’ would not be made applicable. The above assurance was given by Labour Minister Hasan Mushrif while speaking in the meeting held at Birla Matoshri Kendra of various religious institutions and temple trusts. Jain-muni Acharya Vijay Ratnasundar Maharaj, Mr. Mangalprabhat Lodha, BJP’s MLA, Mr. Surendrabhai Sawai, the Chief of Jain Temples, Mr. Girishbhai Shah, Trustee of Jain Temples, representatives of Bohra community and Mr. Shivaji Vatkar, the district-coordinator of Hindu Janajagruti Samiti (HJS) for Mumbai, Thane and Raigad districts attended the meeting among others. Mushrif was felicitated on behalf of Jain organizations. The above Act has been made applicable to temples and therefore, it has created a serious problem for Hindu temples. The management of Hindu temples would have to pay profession tax like other commercial establishments. In this connection, Mr. Lodha, MLA and Jain organizations met Hasan Mushrif and Minister for Social Justice Shivajirao Moghe. (Congratulations to Mr. Mangalprabhat Lodha and Jain organizations for fighting against the problem created for Hindu temples ! – Editor SP) Mr. Lodha stated that the funds collected in temples were utilized for extending facilities and security to devotees and not for any financial gains. On this, the two ministers decided that the said Act should not be made applicable to temples where religious rituals are performed. Mushrif was felicitated for taking such decision. Considering the past records, it is clear that the problem has not been solved for all temples.

When the point was raised in the Legislative Assembly (LA) session about issuing of notices by Labour Commissioner and Municipal Commissioner to temples by declaring them as commercial institutions, the Chief Minister Pruthviraj Chavan had stayed the matter; but then Mushrif had said that the verification was carried out as per the decision of the Court and it could not be kept on hold. Mr. Dilip Valse-Patil, the Chairman of LA had instructed that ‘Religious institutions should be classified into commercial and non-commercial institutions and then the Law was to be made applicable. The assurance given by the Labour Minister, however, does not clarify whether all temples would be exempt from this Act and there is confusion among Hindus.

(When religious rituals are performed in all temples, Labour Minister has created confusion among all Hindus by his misleading statement. The State Government does not promptly pay attention to the religious sentiments of Hindus because they are not united. All Hindus should, therefore, register strong protest, in lawful manner, against such anti-Hindu Acts. – Editor SP)

Source: Dainik Sanatan Prabhat