PATNA June 10: The Buddha Gaya Mahabodhi Vihar All India Action Committee has decided to address the central govt. in its struggle for the liberation of Bodh Gaya temple. They have also planned a conversion of some people into Buddhism evidently to do away their weakness of the local level.
The Action Committee chartered its course of action following a meeting with the Chief Minister, Laloo Prasad Yadav, who deftly washed his hands off the pernicious problem by succeeding in convincing the delegation that the Center alone could provide solution. This despite the fact that the same delegation had been told by the Union Welfare Minister, Sitaram: Kesari, that the State Government had the jurisdiction over the issue. The delegation that called on the Chief Minister included the president of the Action Committee Bhante Arya Nagarjun Surai Sarai and Bhante Anand.
According to the two leaders, the Chief Minister took exception to the statement of the Union Welfare Minister and maintained that the Religious Places and Worship Act restrained the State Government from taking any step in redressing their grievances; The Chief Minister was stated to have expressed his support to their demand and held the Center responsible for the impasse. The two Buddhist leaders seemed convinced by the contention of the Chief Minister, who about six months ago had agreed to settle the issue after holding talks with Buddhist leaders from all over the world. Bhante Sarai said that he would convene a meeting of Buddhist monks from all over the country to decide their future course of action to put pressure on the Center to amend its law and allow for the transfer of managerial control over the Mahabodhi temple into the hands of the Buddhists.
Article extracted from this publication >> June 18, 1993
