Patna,(BiharTimes):
Notwithstanding the opposition by the BJP the state Assembly on Tuesday passed the Bodh Gaya Temple (Amendment) Bill 2013, which struck off the provision of the state government nominating a Hindu as chairperson of the Bodh Gaya Temple Management Committee (BTMC) in case the district magistrate of Gaya is a non-Hindu. The RJD, Congress and CPI supported the Bill.
It will thus end the dispute between the Hindus and the Buddhists.
Chief minister Nitish Kumar, while replying to the debate, said in a secular framework, it was not justified to mention the religion of a DM in the Act. An official is a secular government representative. He does not represent any religion, the chief minister added.
He clarified that the Bill has nothing to do with the serial blasts in Bodh Gaya and added that preparations for the amendment had been started in April and nothing has been decided in a haste.
He further said that the amendment was not aimed at interfering in the religious affairs of the Buddhists.
The chief minister accused the BJP of unnecessarily giving the issue a controversial colour by comparing it with other religious trusts and boards.
He referred to the discussion the chairman of National Minorities Commission, Wajahat Habibullah, had with him over this issue.
Nitish said repeated demands had been made for full Buddhists control over the Bodh Gaya shrine and the Act was amended to settle that issue. There is provision of four Buddhists and four Hindus in the Committee with ex-officio chairman as its ninth member.
The chief minister said at least two cases in this regard are pending in the Supreme Court. Thus the apex court had also been informed through an affidavit that necessary amendments were being made to the Act.
Before leading a walked out leader of opposition in the assembly, Nand Kishore Yadav, opposed the amendment saying there had never been a dispute over the Hindu DM and wondered how a non-Hindu DM could manage the temple management.
In this regard he referred to Hindu Religious Board and Wakf Board saying there is provision that only a Hindu or a Muslim can be on their respective boards. He also suggested that amendment could be made to remove the DM from the chairperson post.
But Abdul Bari Siddiqui of RJD favoured that the shrine of any religion should be handed over to that religion and places of worship should not be made controversial. He referred to Babri Masjid in this connection and said it would be better if a Buddhist scholar was nominated as the Committee chairman.
Sadanand Singh of the Congress and Awadhesh Kumar Rai of the CPI favoured the government amendment.
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