Buddhists Stage Protest In Front Of Bihar CM's Residence Demanding Mahabodhi Temple's "Liberation"

Patna: A group of around 350 Buddhist monks and devotees marched from Bodh Gaya to Patna and staged a dharna in front of chief minister Nitish Kumar's residence for the "liberation" of the UNESCO world heritage, Mahabodhi Temple, where Buddha attained enlightenment.

They had set out on foot on Sunday, carrying an idol of the Buddha, and walked 110km to Patna to bring their agitation to the Bihar CM's doorsteps.

"We just walked, rested and then walked again to reach here. The government should handover our temple to us and stop involving the Hindus in its management. If there are no Buddhists in the management of the Ram Temple at Ayodhya, why should the Hindus be a part of the management of the Mahabodhi Temple?" asked Bhante Sushil Pal, a monk carrying an idol of the Buddha on his head.

The demonstrators were from various Buddhist organisations that have been continuously pressing for their demands through hunger strikes and demonstrations at Bodh Gaya since February 12.

As the group sat under the scorching sun on a road opposite Kumar's residence for a couple of hours, the chief minister's officials thought it wise to invite a few of them to discuss the issue. Kumar was present at his residence, but did not meet the demonstrators.

All India Buddhist Forum (AIBF) general secretary Ashok Lama, who is spearheading the agitation, led a five-member delegation to the chief minister's residence and submitted a memorandum to the officials present there.

"We met a secretary and had an hour-long discussion with him about our grievances and demands. We handed out memorandum to him. I don't remember his name, but he heard us patiently and assured that the chief minister will get back to us in a day or two with something positive," Lama told ETV Bharat.

Speaking further, Lama said he reminded the official that the AIBF had been writing letters to the chief minister since September last year, seeking his intervention in the matter, but nothing has happened so far.

"We will intensity our agitation if the chief minister doesn't take any positive action. We are not going to leave this issue," Lama added.

The AIBF, other Buddhist organisations, monks and devotees from various countries have been demanding the repeal of the Bodh Gaya Temple Act enacted by the Bihar government, so that the management of the holy shrine of Buddhism and the properties surrounding it passes on to the Buddhists.

They are also demanding the constitution of a Mahabodhi Mahavihar Chaitya Trust which would be fully managed by the Buddhists, and would appoint only Buddhist employees in the temple administration to ensure the shrine's sanctity

The Act created the Bodhgaya Temple Management Committee (BTMC) with eight members - four Buddhists and four Hindus - with the district magistrate as the ex-officio chairman.

The Buddhists have long alleged that the arrangement ensures Hindu dominance of the BTMC as the district magistrate is a Hindu most of the times.

They have been campaigning for the repeal of the Act and the transfer of the Mahabodhi Temple management to their representatives, arguing that the Act infringes upon their religious freedom and autonomy.

"The Bodh Gaya Temple Act is a violation of the Constitutional provisions guaranteeing the freedom of religion and the rights of the minorities. It is a direct attack on our religious faith and an insult to the Buddhists across the world," Lama said.

Chief Minister's secretary Anupam Kumar did not respond to calls by ETV Bharat.

When asked about the demonstration by Buddhist monks and groups in front of the chief minister's residence, BTMC secretary Mahasweta Maharathi said: "Everybody is free in a democracy to protest anywhere. I am just concerned with the functioning of the committee and cannot comment beyond it."

Highly placed sources in the government said that apart from the religious aspect, there is a financial aspect behind the agitation, as a huge amount of money and valuables come to the Mahabodhi Temple as offerings by the devotees from across the globe.

Another bone of contention is that there are several Hindu temples and monasteries, including a Shankaracharya Math (monastery) around the Mahabodhi Temple, which are claimed by the Buddhists as theirs.

With the varied clash of interests, the Bihar government has an uphill task on its hands if it tries to resolve the issue.