‘Dissolve Govt. committee for breaking religious traditions followed at Vitthal Mandir’

Demand of Vitthal-devotees and devout Hindus at Pandharpur, through staging demonstrations

Pandharpur : There is lot of mismanagement and corrupt practices followed by temple committee of Shri Vitthal-Rukmini Mandir. The temple committee changed the date of ‘Prakshal-puja’ fixed as per the Hindu almanac. Owing to malpractices in managing ‘gou-shala’ of the temple committee, many cows have died in past few months. Huge plastic material was found in the stomachs of dead cows. Besides, security guards do not remove shoes while doing duty at ‘Namdeo-Payari’ or the entrance. It is adversely affecting sanctity of this temple. It is therefore, necessary to dissolve such Government committee which is breaking all religious customs and traditions and going against rituals. Such action will help in reviving hundred years-old religious traditions and regular rituals performed at the temple. Demonstrations were staged on 30th July at 11.30 a.m. near Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Chowk, Tonga Stand for the above demands. More than 200 devout Hindus participated in the demonstrations. Representation was submitted to Tehsildar Nagesh Patil on the occasion. Shri. Rajan Bunage of Hindu Janajagruti Samiti (HJS) and Sou. Anita Bunage of Sanatan Sanstha expressed their views while addressing the participants.

Only Hindus’ temples and not prayer-houses of non-Hindus are taken over by the Government ! – Bhagavatacharya V. N. Utpat

Devasthan Samiti has commercialized faith. Today, management of only Hindus’ temples is taken over by the Government and not religious places of followers of other religions. If we do not become alert and dissolve this temple committee, the Government would start using money donated by devotees in the temple, for benefits of non-Hindus; therefore, we have to be vigilant.

Demands made by HJS with the Govt.

1. Vitthal-devotees are capable of managing the temple. The Government does not interfere in management of prayer-houses of non-Hindus but takes over management of only Hindus’ temples and in fact, does not manage the temples properly. The Government should therefore, immediately withdraw from management of this temple and hand it over to devotees for managing.
2. Religious traditions, customs and regular rituals followed by the temple should be re-started and stringent action should be taken against persons making changes as per their wish, in the age-old traditions followed by the temple.
3. Persons responsible for cows’ deaths should be punished as per the laws.