Mumbai, Dt. 25
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde assured that the government is serious about the problems of temples in Maharashtra and after the end of the budget session, a separate meeting of the concerned officials, temple trustees and priests will be held.
He gave this assurance in a meeting of temple trustees held at Vidhan Bhavan.
In the ‘Maharashtra Temple Trust Conference’ held at Jalgaon, various resolutions were passed for conservation and protection of temples. A delegation of Maharashtra Temple Trust met Chief Minister Shinde and submitted a memorandum to him.
Sri Tuljabhavani Temple Sansthan in Tuljapur, Sri Mahalakshmi Devasthan in Kolhapur, Sri Vitthal-Rukmini Temple in Pandharpur, Sri Saibaba Sansthan in Shirdi, Sri Siddhivinayak Mandir in Mumbai, etc. An administrator or a judge has been appointed, all those temples should be given back under the control of Hindus, and an independent authority should be established in this regard.
Government of Maharashtra should comply with the court orders by liberating the nationalized temples, state government should declare not to use the property of temples for development works, should make substantial provision for immediate restoration of temples of mythological or historical importance, but neglected by the administration, archeology department; A survey of encroachments on shrines and fortified temples in the state should be immediately removed, and the government should pay monthly stipends to the priests of the temples as their income is negligible; In order to protect the sanctity of temples and pilgrimage sites, the government should issue a notification that alcohol and meat cannot be sold in their premises.
Hindu Janajagruti Samiti’s Maharashtra State Organizer Sunil Ghanwat, State Ports and Mines Minister Dada Bhuse, MP Hemant Godse, Shiv Sena Chief Pratod and MLA Bharatsheth Gogawle, President of ‘Srikshetra Bhimashankar Sansthan’, Advocate Suresh Kaudre and other temple officials of Maharashtra were present. .