Friday, 27 August 2021 | PNS | Dehradun
The State’s Culture and Tourism minister Satpal Maharaaz said that there was no provision for traditional rights in the Badrinath Kedarnath Act 1939 but the same have been clearly defined in the Char Dham Devasthanam Management Board Act. He said that the opposition is misguiding the Teerth Purohits regarding their traditional rights while adding that the traditional rights of the priests and Pandas in Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri have been kept secure in the Act.
All the provisions of the Badrinath Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) have been included in the Act for protecting the rights for their appointment. The minister said this during the monsoon session of the Vidhan Sabha while also referring to those continuing their objection to the Devasthanam Board Act.
Citing provisions in the Act, he said that the opposition was baselessly leveling the allegation repeatedly that the government is tampering with ancient traditions of the Char Dham shrines through the Devasthanam Board Act. He said that section 4 (7) of the Act has provision for formation of a committee for resolving any dispute regarding traditional, hereditary and other rights of those connected to the Char Dham shrines.
Earlier, before implementation of the Act, the Badrinath Kedarnath act was in force for management of Badrinath and Kedarnath shrines while a local committee in Gangotri and a committee headed by the sub divisional magistrate in Yamunotri were managing the respective shrines without there being any mention of a management committee. The Char Dham Devasthanam Board Act has provison of the board and a high level committee formation for management to ensure proper management and necessary infrastructure in the Char Dham shrines and other related temples.
