Ladakh Stands With Bodh Gaya Protest, Demands Repeal Of Temple Act

By Rinchen Angmo Chumikchan

Leh, Ladakh: The Ladakh Buddhist Association and the Ladakh Gonpa Association organised a one-day hunger strike in Leh, demanding the repeal of the Bodh Gaya Temple Act and the transfer of control of the Mahabodhi Temple in Gaya to Buddhists.

Buddhist Bhikkhus, activists, and various organisations have been protesting in Bodh Gaya, demanding that the management of the sacred Mahabodhi Buddha Vihara be handed over to the Buddhists of India.

The All India Buddhist Forum, led by Akash Lama, along with its supporters and volunteers from Ladakh, has been on a hunger strike, calling for Buddhist ownership of the temple and the repeal of the Bodh Gaya Temple Management Act.

Jigmet Rafstan, President, Ladakh Buddhist Association, Youth Wing, Leh, said, “Today, a peaceful protest is taking place not only in Leh but also across all blocks of Leh and in every branch of the LBA. The Bodhgaya Temple Management Committee (BTMC) Act of 1949 established a nine-member committee to oversee the administration of the temple. However, only four of these members are Buddhists, while the remaining five, including the chairman (the District Magistrate), are Hindus. The act also mandates that the chairman must be Hindu, which we believe is a great injustice to Buddhist followers. We are demanding that all nine members of the BTMC should be Buddhists.”

He continued, “The demand for the repeal of this act has been pending for a long time and has been pursued for many years under the All India Buddhist Forum. The forum, led by Akash Lama, has been advocating for this cause, and its members have been on a hunger strike for the last 20 days in Bodhgaya.”

Dr. Sonam Paldan, Advisor, Aryan Buddhist Association said, “For the last few days, a hunger strike has been ongoing in Bodhgaya, and similarly, a hunger strike is taking place in Leh. The main objective is to hand over the temple to Buddhists, as Bodhgaya is a sacred Buddhist site where Buddha attained enlightenment. At present, the temple's management is under the Hindu community. We request Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to transfer the management to us. Additionally, Buddhism teaches that non-violence is the supreme religion, and we are advocating for our demands through compassion.”

Ven. Tsering Chosphel, General Secretary, Ladakh Gonpa Association, said, “In India, the management of religious sites is typically entrusted to the community that follows that religion. However, the management of the Mahabodhi Temple in Bodhgaya is an exception, where both Buddhists and Hindus are responsible for its administration. This arrangement is not only unjust to Buddhists but also goes against the principles of the Indian Constitution. Our primary demand is that the management of the Bodhgaya temple be completely handed over to Buddhists, and the BTMC Act of 1949 be repealed.”

Discussing the demand, he said, “The demand for Buddhist control over the Bodhgaya temple was first raised in 1890, but it remains unresolved to this day. Recently, the movement has gained momentum once again. On Constitution Day, November 26, 2023, Buddhists across India, under the banner of the All India Buddhist Forum, revived the demand. Members of the Ladakh Buddhist Association and the Ladakh Gonpa Association are also actively participating in this movement.”

Rigzin Dorjay, Vice President of the Ladakh Buddhist Association, said, “We are demanding the repeal of the BTMC Act, 1949, and the All India Buddhist Forum is already holding a protest in Bodhgaya. The Ladakh Buddhist Association and the Ladakh Gonpa Association fully support this movement and organised a one-day hunger strike in Leh. Additionally, we had previously written a letter to Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, and today, representatives from the LBA and LGA, along with the Chief Executive Councillor of LAHDC, Leh, Adv Tashi Gyaltson are planning to meet him in person. We will be submitting a memorandum today.”

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