Brijanandan Raju, senior journalist
Our temples have been the center of India’s cultural consciousness. Temples have not only been places of worship but also centers of social life, education, service, rituals and national identity. History is witness to the fact that foreign invaders targeted temples to weaken the soul of Indian society. Mughal invaders looted and demolished many temples. After this the British took over the administrative control of the remaining temples.
Unfortunately, even after so many years of independence, Hindu temples in many states of the country are still under government control.
Many religious and social organizations including Vishwa Hindu Parishad have been demanding for a long time that the operation and management of temples should be handed over to the Hindu society. India is a secular nation, so the government should not interfere in the functioning of any religious institution. His argument is that when the government does not operate churches, mosques, gurudwaras, Jain temples and Buddhist monasteries, then why does it continue to have control over Hindu temples?
Supporters of the Temple Liberation Movement say that the income, offerings and donations of temples should be used for the protection of religion, culture, education, service and eternal values. In many states, government officials are appointed for the administration of temples and their salaries and allowances are also paid from the income of the temples. Due to this, the operation of the temples is not in accordance with the saints, mahants and religious traditions but comes under the influence of bureaucracy, hence the demand has been raised for a long time that the responsibility of operation of the temples should be given back to the society.
But the news related to alleged irregularities and theft of donations in Shri Ram temple located in Ayodhya has given a new turn to this debate. Ram Temple is the center of faith for crores of Hindus and its management is closely monitored by the entire country. The final findings of the SIT investigation formed to investigate this episode are yet to be made public, but this incident has definitely challenged the Temple Liberation Campaign at the moral and ideological level.
The question to be considered is that if financial irregularities come to light in the most prestigious temple like Ram Temple, whose trust consists of Vishva Hindu Parishad Vice President Champat Rai and people directly associated with the Sangh, then to what extent is the demand for freeing the temples from government control justified? Well, it should be that the temple should remain under government control, but the money of the temple should be spent only for the welfare of Hindus. If there has been any irregularity, it should be investigated impartially and the culprits should be punished, but it would not be appropriate to question the management capability of the Hindu society on this basis.
The real need is to strengthen transparency, accountability and modern administrative systems in the functioning of temples. Whether the temples are under government control or in the hands of the society, the sanctity of the faith of the devotees and the donations are of paramount importance. The income of temples should be used for religion, culture, education, cow breeding, service and social welfare works.
The Ram Mandir episode has once again raised the question that what should be the ideal model of running temples? But it is clear that the basis of success of any system is honesty, transparency and public trust. If these values are kept at the centre, temples will not only remain centers of faith but will also prove to be powerful mediums of society building and nation reconstruction. It is natural for the Hindu society to expect that the donations and resources of the temples should be used for the welfare, religious preservation and cultural renaissance of the Hindu society. Besides, it is also necessary that the system of temple management should be such that the faith of the devotees remains intact.
Champat Rai, General Secretary of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, is a campaigner of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. He sacrificed himself for the country and society and put everything into the cause of Ram. Be it any aspect of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi movement, be it a matter of public awareness or be it a court battle, its pivot would be Champat Rai, hence one cannot question his sadhana, dedication and devotion. Crores of Ram devotees are also hurt by this incident. It is not right to drag everyone’s name. One cannot question someone’s long term devotion and dedication. Soon the truth will be revealed to everyone.
