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<b>Opposition to Maharashtra Government's Temple Assets Takeover </b>
www.rediff.com

MAHARASHTRA, INDIA, April 26, 2007: The Vishwa Hindu Parishad has criticized the Maharashtra government for trying to take over the assets of the temples in the state citing the proposal of the 15th Law Commission. All India secretary Vyankatesh Abdeo said the Parishad has decided to unleash a full frontal campaign against the government through a specially formed committee called Matt-Mandir Adhigrahan Virodh Samithi. He said the VHP has started a signature campaign of like-minded people and temple trustees, for if the government plan goes through, the trustees will have no say in temple affairs.

The 15th Law Commission, under D.N. Chaudhury, formed the Temple and Religious Organizations (administration and regulation) Act 2006 <b>that would bring religious shrines of Hindus, Buddhists, Jains and Parsis under the government and install democracy</b> <!--emo&:blink:--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/blink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='blink.gif' /><!--endemo--> . The Act excludes all Madrasas and Masjid's registered with the Wakf Board. The flip side of the matter and the government's trump card is the claim of mismanagement of temple funds. "The move is an assault on the Hindu religion and its followers. <b>The government would never ever dare to bring about such a scenario at Masjids or churches</b>," stated Abdeo.