Wanted Dharmic Council                          
By Krishnan Bhatnagar,krishan@kb.verizon.net

We need Dharmic Councils to administer temples. Temples and Mutts are a great spiritual institutions entrusted to us by our ancestors for the spiritual upliftment of our nation and it is our bounden duty to hand them over to our successive generations through proper administration and development activities in accordance with the wishes of donors and the forefathers.

The task is not merely limited to the routine management, but it is one of planning for development and administration, keeping in view the increasing population and growing spiritual needs all over the country and in each state and area. It is a task that should aim at qualitative and quantitative improvement commensurate with the growing population and the needs.

As things stand, temples and Mutts in some states are under the management of the government and in some others are under scattered and local private managements. Government being secular according the written constitution, it has neither an obligation nor a right to administer an essentially Hindu Dharmik institution. Some question its locus standii in this connection. The zeal that is required in promoting the spiritual cause cannot be expected of a secular government with all its political involvements. Neither it could be expected of scattered local private managements to plan for a whole state and in the country.

We thus see lacuna and the absence of an appropriate instrument for the management and development of the temple and Mutt institution in the states and the country. In view of this, there is a dire necessity to conceive and evolve an authority for the purpose in states and the country.

After considerable deliberations and consultations for over a period of two years, the Vishva Hindu Parishad has come up with certain views to be placed before the people in various states, for their earnest consideration. The following are some of the views:

Basic Changes and steps are required on the following lines

(a) Integration of all charitable and Hindu religious institution and endowments at the state level, and are to be brought under a fresh special legislation.

(b) Formation of state-level Dharmik Council, as a statutory body, to formulate and decide all policy matters. It shall be given quasi-judicial powers also. The council shall consist of Dharmacharyas and Scholars of various Sampradayas (cults) and Shastras, prominent Hindus and workers of Hindu causes, representatives of socio-religious organizations, expert Hindus in the federal law, administration, etc. The council shall be very broad based.

(c) Formation of administrative and religious services set up to work for and under the council. The personnel shall be selected by a temple service commission. Existing personnel shall be absorbed appropriately.

(d) State-level temple planning, development, rejuvenation body, state level budgeting, together with temple-level budgeting, state level fund with temple level surpluses, temple bank to receive deposit (not a commercial bank).

(e) Specific part of the fund shall be utilized for religious and basic humanitarian services in the areas of neglected sections like Harijans, Girijans, etc. could be adopted for these service purposes by temples.

(f) State level Dharmik Sahitya Academy, publications pool, etc. shall be formed for even distribution of publicity and propaganda literature.

(g) Temples under the legislation shall include all places of worship by Hindus: the Mutts and other charitable institutions of Hindu Dana philosophy as expressed in Sapta Santana Vidhi. However, separate provisions for the Mutts and endowments shall be included in the legislation.

(h) All temples, their properties and funds belong to the devotees and the Hindu society. No property shall be transferred to any individual, non-Hindu, or secular organization by way of sale, auction, and acquisition or by any other means. Under all circumstances, and forever, the properties belong to the respective institutions and they shall be administered according to the politics laid down by the Dharmik Council.

(i) All illegal occupations shall be vacated by a suitable ordinance and ensured to the Dharmik Council.

(j) An interim Dharmik Council shall be formed by the Chief Justice of the High Court. The same shall be entrusted with the job of formulating details on that above lines, and in the light of the experience under the Act in the state and elsewhere. Members of the Council shall be nominated by the Council itself toward the end of each term. Thus, the question of nomination by government or any political body shall be eliminated and the authority and supremacy of the Hindu institution shall be restored. The Council shall have the authority to settle dispute among the institutions covered by the special legislation.

(k) The involvement of the state or government shall be limited to provide security which is due to any individual or institution of the land and rendering any legal or administrative services if required by the Council.

(l) All persons working in the temple institution shall from the member of the Council at the top down to the level of local temple servants and the tenants. Shall make a declaration on oath that he or she is a Hindu, a believer in God and the temple institution and he or she has no other interests than service and the agreed remuneration and he or she will; abide by the code and discipline laid down.