Mathura, Amrit thoughts: The Supreme Court has indicated to constitute a committee headed by a retired High Court Judge to monitor the management of the famous Banke Bihari temple in Vrindavan and the development of its surrounding area. The next hearing of the case will be held on Tuesday, August 5 at 10:30 am.
The Temple Management Committee has filed a petition in the Supreme Court opposing an ordinance of the state government, allowing the use of temple funds for the management of the temple and the construction of the corridor. The committee also opposed the Supreme Court’s decision on 15 May, in which the government was approved to use the temple funds for the construction of the corridor.
Dispute between two groups in temple management
On behalf of the petitioner, senior advocate Shyam Dewan argued that the Banke Bihari Temple is a private temple, where there are differences between two groups over religious activities and management. He said that the state government intervened without proper authority and obtained an order from the Supreme Court to use the temple funds for the construction of the corridor. After this, an ordinance was also issued in a hurry. As a result of this, the Goswami family managed to establish the temple and handle it for generations.
Supreme Court’s sharp comment
A bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi raised strict questions to the temple management committee. The court said, “Even though the temple is private, God belongs to everyone. Millions of devotees come there to visit. Why can’t the fund of the temple be put in development works for the convenience and safety of devotees? Why do you want all the money to be with you?” The court also suggested that the petitioner should challenge the ordinance of the state government in the High Court.
Court’s stand on May 15’s order
The lawyer of the temple committee said, “How was such an order passed from the Supreme Court without listening to us? The matter was something else, but suddenly the temple fund was instructed to use for the corridor.” The court agreed to this and said that the development of a region is the responsibility of the government. If the government has to do land acquisition or other tasks, it should do it with its resources.
Will the order of May 15 be canceled?
After about 50 minutes of hearing, there were indications from the court that the May 15 order could be withdrawn. Along with this, a committee can also be constituted under the chairmanship of a retired High Court Judge for the management of the temple, in which the district officer will also be included. Keeping in mind the historical importance of Vrindavan, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) will also be taken help in the development of the region. The court said that development of appropriate facilities is necessary to promote religious tourism.
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