• Demand to cancel such fare-rise immediately
• United agitation by Saints and Hindutvavadis
Nasik (Maharashtra) : Railway Department has increased fare of various trains during the period of Simhastha Parva; therefore, Saints from different ‘aakhaadaas’ staged demonstrations in front of District Collector’s office on 28th July 2015 for cancellation of such hike in fares and for demand to provide more facilities to devotees going for Simhastha Parva.
Mahant Bhaktacharandas Maharaj, the spokesperson of ‘Akhil Bharatiya Shat-darshan Akhada’, Mahamandaleshwar Gopikrushnadas Maharaj from Vrundavan, Sanatan’s ‘Pujya’ Nandkumar Jadhav, Mahant Ramkishore das Maharaj of ‘Digambar Akhada’, Shri. Anandadas Maharaj, Ramakrushnadas Maharaj and Uttamdas Maharaj from Ayodhya, Shri. Shamanand Maharaj and Shri. Balramdas Maharaj from Chitrakut, Shri. Sunil Ghanwat, State-Convener, Shri. Shivaji Ugale of Hindu Janajagruti Samiti, Shri. Rahul Patil of Sanatan Sanstha, Shri. Ramasingh Bavari of ‘Hindu Ekata Andolan’, Kum. Rupali Joshi from ‘Gou-shala’, Panchavati, Shri. Santosh Pagare of ‘Dharmaprasar Samiti’, advocate Smt. Nilima Sakharikar, Shri. Pravin Jadhav, Shri. Narhari Ugalmugale of Vinaynagar Mitra-Mandal etc. participated in the demonstrations.
Railway Department has started 15 additional trains for convenience of devotees to visit Simhastha Parva which is the biggest religious festival of Hindus; but it has increased fare which is injustice to Hindus. Devotees will have to pay Rs. 175 to Rs. 420/- more due to such increase in fare; besides till September 2015, devotees purchasing railway ticket at Nasik will have to pay Rs. 5 to 10 more even on regular trains which will affect millions of devotees. The participants raised slogans against such hike in fare and displayed boards on the subject.
Mahant Bhakticharandas Maharaj said, “The increase in fare by Railway on the occasion of Simhastha is very unfortunate. We all support the agitation staged by Hindu Janajagruti Samiti for this purpose. The Government should immediately cancel this fare hike.”
‘Pujya’ Nandkumar Jadhav said, “Tax is levied on Hindus’ pilgrimage to finance pilgrimages of non-Hindus. If splurging money on non-Hindus is stopped, the need for levying tax on Hindus’ pilgrimage will not arise; therefore, the Government should immediately withdraw such increase in fare.”
Shri. Sunil Ghanwat said, “Grant for Haj-pilgrimage and hike in fare for Simhastha Parva will not be tolerated by Hindus. This increase in fare should be cancelled within a week’s time and necessary facilities should be provided to devotees coming for Simhastha Parva; else the agitation will be staged all over the country by Sadhus-Saints and Hindutvavadis.”
Source : Dainik Sanatan Prabhat
