Preacher’ TV interview after ban on filming in Kedarnath elicits criticism
Tuesday, 25 July 2023 | PNS | DEHRADUN
Many people have expressed their disappointment with a recent interview popular preacher Morari Bapu by an anchor of a prominent news channel in Kedarnath temple premises. In the interview, Morari and interviewee can be seen sitting with their backs towards the temple and many opined that it violated the sanctity of the temple. Many people in the State as well as on social media platforms have stated that such activities should not be allowed on the premises, especially when the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) banned pilgrims from taking pictures or recording videos at the Kedarnath temple eight days ago.
The ban was imposed after some people uploaded pictures and videos that reportedly hurt the sentiments of devotees. Last month, a video of a woman showering currency notes in an objectionable way inside the temple went viral on social media platforms triggering outrage. Another video of a woman proposing to a man by getting down on her knees outside the temple also went viral which many considered an act of undermining the sanctity of the temple. Stating that such indecent acts hurt the religious sentiments of pilgrims, BKTC prohibited any kind of photography and videography inside the temple and it’s premises. The committee also installed several signboards on the temple premises to inform pilgrims about the ban. After watching the recent interview video, many people have opined that photography and video are being allowed on the premises by the temple authorities as per their wish, which proves that the ban is imposed only on common people.
A school teacher Sapna Vishwakarma said, “It has been hardly a week since the ban was imposed but the committee allowed a big news channel to conduct an interview. How is such an interview where both anchor and interviewee are sitting with Kedarnath temple in the background allowed but not common people making some decent videos? The ban should be applicable to all. If big channels want to catch a glimpse of the Kedarnath temple in their interview for views, a common person wants to do that too for his/her own reasons. Everyone should think about maintaining the sanctity of the temple.”
The founder of the Social Development for Communities (SDC) Foundation Anoop Nautiyal recently held a Twitter poll in which he asked whether such interviews should be allowed in Kedarnath temple premises. Out of 251 people who participated in the poll, 86 per cent said such activities should not be allowed there. He said that this poll is not entirely scientific but clearly indicates that the vast majority (9 out of 10) of respondents said that such interviews should not be allowed. “I hope that these findings will reach the BKTC management and they will not allow such activities there considering the citizens’ feedback,” said Nautiyal. However, an official with tge temple authorities who wished to be anonymous said that some people are trying to exaggerate even minor things to create a chaotic atmosphere in Kedarnath. “Interviews, photos and videos are quite common in most of the prominent temples of the country but Kedarnath is being targeted consistently by some people for one thing or another. Common people also click photos with the temple in the background while facing the camera. Why is the said interview being criticised so much? The temple authorities are taking appropriate action at their level to ensure that the sanctity of the temple is maintained. Some people in Kedarnath and the opposition are unnecessarily trying to create a tense atmosphere for their personal and political gains,” the official averred.
