Pandharpur: The Pandharpur temple of Lord Vitthal and Rukmini located in Maharashtra should be freed from government control. Demanding this, Subramanian Swamy, an expert in law and economics , has filed a petition in the Bombay High Court . On January 14, 2014, the decision of the Supreme Court came on the case of Badwe vs Governance for 45 years. Nine years ago, the complete control over the Vitthal temple had come into the hands of the government. After this, on January 17, 2014, the government took complete control of the temple under its control.
After this, according to the instructions of the court, the management of the temple was being done by the committee appointed by the government. But it is alleged that Lord Vitthal and Goddess Rukmini are not being taken care of properly by the committee. Traditions are not being followed properly. Apart from this, there is also the argument that the government cannot take control of any religious place forever. Raising these issues, Dr. Subrahmanyam Swamy has filed a petition in the Bombay High Court demanding that it be freed from government control.
'How can a secular government control a religious place?'
In this petition, the example of the Sabha Naigar case of Tamil Nadu has been given. The question has been raised that there is a secular democracy in India. So how can a secular government control a religious place? It has been said in the petition that if the management of Ekadh temple is not being done properly, then the government has the right to take control of it for a short time. After this, it is necessary to organize the business of the temple and hand it over again to the concerned religious institution.
'The government committee is not taking proper care of Lord Vitthal-Rukmini'
It has also been raised in the petition that the case of Travancore and the case of Vitthal temple are completely different. Here the present government committee is not able to take care of Lord Vitthal and Goddess Rukmini properly. In the petition, under the Vitthal Temple Act 1973, it has been claimed that the government cannot take control of a temple in its hands forever. Citing the example of the Chidambaram Natarajan case of Tamil Nadu, the decision of the Supreme Court has been made the basis.
'The government committee is failing to follow the tradition of the temple'
The decision of the Supreme Court regarding the Vitthal temple was given in private in the case of Badwe Vs. Swamy's petition is different in this case. Here no argument is being given on behalf of Badwe or the priests. The question that has been raised here is that at present the tradition is not being followed properly under the government control over the temple. In such a situation, the temple should be freed from government control and handed over to Hindu society and devotees.
It has been alleged in the petition that ever since the temple came under the control of the government, the old tradition has been broken. There was a tradition of seven servants including Badve to take care of Lord Vitthal. The petition demanded that the control of the temple be handed over to the Varkari sect and the devotees of Vitthal.
Effect of decision on Swami's petition on rest of the country's temples
The importance of the petition filed by Subramanian Swamy regarding the Vitthal temple has increased because the decision regarding this case will affect the rest of the government-controlled Hindu temples in the country. Now it remains to be seen what is the role of the state and central government in this issue.
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