[ Prem Chetry ]
TAWANG, 30 Apr: Hundreds took to the streets in a peaceful rally on Wednesday morning, united in their demand to resolve the Bodhgaya Temple management issue and repeal the Bodhgaya Temple Act (BT) of 1949.
Speakers at the rally highlighted the profound significance of the Mahabodhi Temple in Bodh Gaya, where Lord Buddha attained enlightenment. They called for the repeal of the 1949 Act and urged that full management of the Mahabodhi Temple be handed over to the Buddhist community.
Being a UNESCO World Heritage site, the Maha Bodhi Temple is currently managed by the Bodhgaya Temple Management Committee (BTMC), established under the Bodhgaya Temple Act of 1949. The committee includes both Buddhist and Hindu members, with a legal stipulation that the majority, including the chairman, must be Hindu.
Leading the rally were Sheling Tulku Rinpoche, Abbot of Tawang Monastery, Dobley Rinpoche, Tenzin Gyurmey Rinpoche, Tenzin Kalden, director of the department of Karmik & Adhyatmik and Rinchen Norbu, secretary general of the MMT.
A two-point resolution – the repeal of the Bodhgaya Temple Act, 1949, and the transfer of full management of the Bodhgaya Temple to the Buddhist community was passed by the Bodhgaya Temple Rights Forum, Tawang unit.
Earlier, people from all walks of life – including NGOs, nuns, monks, students, and the general public gathered at Chamleng, Tawang Monastery. They marched to the Parade Ground, shouting slogans, with placards, and banners.
