Wednesday, 09 June 2021 | PNS | Dehradun/New Tehri
Objecting to a statement made by the Tourism and Culture minister Satpal Maharaaz, the Teerth Purohits in Gangotri and Yamunotri protested demanding the dissolution of the Char Dham Devasthanam Management Board. The protesters also burnt effigies of the minister. Meanwhile, the minister has clarified that he had not made any statement regarding the government not reconsidering the continuation of the Devasthanam Board. He said that his statement had been twisted to present a false impression.
Gangotri Temple Committee secretaries Deepak Semwal, Purohit Rakesh Semwal, Ganesh and Rajesh Semwal said that the chief minister Tirath Singh Rawat had announced that the government would reconsider the continuation of the Devasthanam Board but now the Tourism and Culture minister had said that it will not be reconsidered. They questioned the intentions of the minister and warned that they will be forced to launch a massive agitation if the board is not dissolved soon. At the Yamunotri shrine also, Teerth Purohits burnt the minister’s effigy. Rawal Kriteshwar Uniyal of Panch Panda Samiti Yamunotri shrine questioned the statement of the minister.
Meanwhile, Maharaaz has rejected the statement being attributed to him about not reconsidering the Devasthanam Board issue. He averred that he had not made any such statement which is being distorted and presented to make it appear as if he had said that the government will not reconsider the board. He clarified especially to the Teerth Purohits and Pandas that he had been asked by a news channel as to whether the government was considering bringing other temples under the ambit of Devasthanam Board apart from the four main shrines. To this question, the minister had replied that the government is not considering bringing more temples under the ambit of the board apart from the 51 shrines situated in the compounds of the four main shrines. He stressed that he had not made any objectionable statement regarding the Devasthanam Board. Reiterating that he had not made any statement regarding the board which could spark off a dispute, the minister said that his statement had been intentionally presented after editing in a manner which would incite anger in society.
