Several activists from the Christian community have condemned the proposal to bring religious places of all faiths under government control. The activists have demanded the chief minister that the proposal should be dismissed claiming that it interferes with the religious freedoms guaranteed by the Indian constitution.

On Tuesday, Maharashtra Assembly speaker Rahul Narwekar suggested the government to consider bringing religious places from other faiths under government control. This suggestion was made during discussion related to increasing the members of the Siddhivinayak temple trust and to extend the tenure of trustees.

Although BJP minister Jaykumar Rawal said that the government will consider the suggestion, it hasn’t went well with the masses. On Wednesday, Watchdog Foundation wrote to the CM saying that the proposal is deeply concerning and should be dismissed outright.

The letter stated that the Christian places of worship are already governed under the Societies Registration Act, 1860, and the Trusts Act. It said that since these laws bring the religious places under the jurisdiction of the Charity Commissioner, there is no need for separate government control.

“Articles 25 to 28 collectively ensure that the state will not discriminate, patronize, or interfere in the practice of any religion. The proposed government control over religious places contradicts these fundamental rights and undermines the secular framework of our nation. Politicians should refrain from meddling in religious matters,” said Godfrey Pimenta, trustee of Watchdog Foundation.

The letter demanded the CM to intervene and drop the proposal alleging that it as unwarranted and infringes upon constitutional rights. Watchdog Foundation urged the authorities to respect the sanctity of religious freedoms and withdraw the proposal immediately.

Demand to abolish paid darshan

The letter also demanded to abolish all charges for darshan at the Siddhivinayak Temple and other temples in Maharashtra, claiming that it violates the rights of devotees who cannot afford to pay. It said that paid darshan results in longer queues for ordinary devotees, compromising their spiritual experience. It also added that the practice of appointing politicians as trustees on temple trusts is inappropriate and should be reconsidered.

“On one hand, the state government provides financial assistance to senior citizens under the Chief Minister Tirtha Darshan Yojana, while on the other hand, it allows practices such as paid darshan in temples. This disparity is unjust and places undue financial burdens on ordinary devotees,” added Pimenta.