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Uttarakhand: Char Dham temples propose ban on entry of non-Hindus
The temple committees of the shrines along the Char Dham route in Uttarakhand have proposed a ban on the entry of “non-Hindus” into the religious sites, The Indian Express reported on Tuesday.
The Char Dham temples comprise Bardinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri.
The development comes days after the Ganga Sabha, which administers the Har-ki-Pauri ghat in Haridwar, on January 16 installed hoardings and banners prohibiting the entry of non-Hindus at the religious site.
On Monday, Suresh Semwal, chairperson of the Shri Gangotri Temple Committee, was quoted as saying by The Hindu that during a meeting held a day earlier, it was unanimously decided that non-Hindus would not be allowed inside the premises.
“Non-Hindus will also not be allowed to enter Mukhba, the winter abode of the goddess,” the newspaper quoted Semwal as saying.
Hemant Dwivedi, chairperson of the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee, also said that a similar ban will be discussed during a meeting scheduled for next month. He added that the proposed ban will be implemented from the Char Dham Yatra this year.
“The Char Dham shrines are not tourist spots and those who have no faith in Sanatan Dharma must not enter our sacred places,” The Hindu quoted Dwivedi.
Sanatan Dharma is a term some use as a synonym for Hinduism.
He also asked why those who have no faith in Hindu deities wanted to visit the temples.
Noting that a resolution on the ban will be passed during the next meeting, the chairperson told The Indian Express that the matter will be discussed with the administration and Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami.
However, the newspaper also quoted an unidentified office-bearer on the board of the Badrinath-Kedarnath temple as saying that the matter had not come up so far. The member added that the statement was made without consulting the board or other stakeholders.
“This is a matter we need to discuss with stakeholders, including the traders and labourers,” The Indian Express quoted the member as saying. “Most of these groups are non-Hindus; how can we ask them to leave?”
He said that only those who adhere to the practices of the religion enter the temple currently. “Besides, those who accompany government officers and dignitaries are also non-Hindus,” the member said.
He also said that Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists will not be banned, adding that Dwivedi should “have said that non-Sanatanis are to be excluded”.
In response to the demands, the chief minister said that the priests and members of the temple committees handle the affairs of the Char Dham shrines and therefore their wishes must be taken into account, The Hindu reported.
“These religious sites are our ancient places of worship and those who run and manage these shrines…will have their opinions and views on the management of the shrines,” the newspaper quoted Dhami as saying. “These places hold great historical and religious significance, and certain laws were enacted regarding them in the past.”
The chief minister added that the Bharatiya Janata Party government in the state was reviewing “those laws and will proceed based on that”.
On the other hand, former Chief Minister and Congress leader Harish Rawat said that the BJP was resorting to communal polarisation, adding that these prohibitions had nothing to do with Hindu pilgrimage, The Indian Express reported.
“In Har-Ki-Pauri, municipal bylaws have restricted the entry of non-Hindus, and people have been following this since then,” the newspaper quoted him as saying. “There is a general sentiment that those from other religions keep away from these places.”
He added: “Those who would earlier gatekeep their religious places have started opening them to all, while Hinduism, which is known for being open to all, is closing its doors”.
Congress leader Suryakant Dhasmana also said this was being done to divert public attention from the state's real problems.
“They have propped up hoardings at Har-Ki-Pauri in Haridwar. International tourists visit these places,” the newspaper quoted him as saying. How will you bar these people? Anyone can enter any public space under the Constitution.”
Source: Scroll
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