Priests at Shirdi Temple in Maharashtra have started a protest against the Uddhav Thackery government for not reopening temples for worship despite Central government allowing opening of religious places back in June, reported Republic TV. The Shirdi Temple priests will begin a hunger strike today.
Talking to Republic channel, Acharya Tushar Bhosle, who is sitting on protest, said that the Central government had issued guidelines on June 8 for reopening the religious places all over the country but the Maharashtra governing did not comply with the guidelines. “Aaj purey desh bhar k mandir k dwar khul chuke hain lekin ye Uddhave Thackeray ji ko sadhu santo se aur dharm se itni nafrat kyo ho gyi hai k Maharashtra me mandir na kholne par vo tul gye hain” (Today, temples all over the country have been reopened but why does Uddhav Thackeray ji have so much hatred for saints and religion that he is adamant on not reopening the temples), said Acharya Bhosle.
Calling the Maharashtra government ‘deaf and dumb’, Acharya Bhosle said that the Maharashtra government is not willing to understand the sensitivities of saints. “Humne purey rajyabhar me ghantanag andolan kiya. Bahut bar maang ki rajyapal mahodaya se mile. Lekin ye Maharashtra ki gungi beheri sarkar hamari samvedanaye samajhne ko taiyyar nhi hai. Sadhu santo ki maharashtra me sadhu santo ki hatya ho rhi hai” (We organised Ghantanag movement across the state. We met the Governor many times. But this deaf and dumb government of Maharashtra is not ready to understand the sensitivities of saints. Saints are being killed in the state of Maharashtra that belonged to saints), lashed out Acharya Bhosle.
Giving the Thackeray government ultimatum, Acharya Bhosle said that the government should take a decision by today evening on reopening of temples. Former trustee of Sai Sansthan Sachin, condemning the Maharashtra government, has said that if the demands of saints are not fulfilled by the government then a more aggressive movement will be started against the government.
BJP workers also organised protests across the state today demanding the reopening of temples. The workers called out the state government for allowing restaurants and bars to reopen but not reopening the temples. Protest were held at several prominent temples of the state including Siddhivinayak temple, Tambdi Jogeshwari temple and Vitthal Rakhumai temple.
Maharashtra guv writes to CM Uddhav Thackeray, seeking re-opening of places of worship with #COVID19 precautions
— TOI Mumbai (@TOIMumbai) October 13, 2020
“I wonder if you’re receiving any divine premonition to keep postponing re-opening or you’ve suddenly turned ‘secular’ yourselves, the term you hated?” letter states pic.twitter.com/jgpwbjF4LZ
Launching a scathing attack on the CM Uddhav Thackeray, Maharashtra governor Bhagat Singh wrote to the Chief Minister seeking reopening of temples.
