HT Correspondent
MARGHERITA, Nov 26: In a peaceful yet impactful demonstration, the All Assam Buddhist Association, Tinsukia District Committee, organised a large-scale rally in Margherita on Tuesday, calling for amendments to the Buddha Gaya Temple Management Committee Act of 1949.
The rally was supported by the All India Buddhist Forum, demanded that the management of the sacred Mahabodhi Mahavihara in Bodh Gaya, Bihar, be entrusted solely to the Buddhist community.
Related Posts:
The rally commenced at Hill View in Margherita and concluded at North Margherita Rangamancha, with over 3,000 Buddhist devotees participating. Attendees included representatives from prominent Buddhist organisations such as the Purvanchal Bhikkhu Sangha, Purvanchal Buddha Samity, Federation of Barua Buddhist Welfare Association of Assam, Purvanchal Tamang Buddha Samity, and various Buddha Vihar committees from Tinsukia, Makum, Digboi, and neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh.
The core demand of the protest is a restructuring of the Mahabodhi Temple Management Committee. Under the current Act, five out of nine seats in the management committee are allocated to non-Buddhists, leaving the Buddhist community underrepresented. Sibu Talukdar, secretary general of the federation of Barua Buddhist Welfare Association of Assam, and president of the Tinsukia District Buddhist Association, expressed disappointment over this imbalance.
“It is unfortunate that while shrines of other religions, such as Hindu, Islam, Sikh, and Christian, are managed by their respective communities, the Mahabodhi Temple has a majority of non-Buddhists in its management. This deprives Buddhists of their rights to oversee one of their holiest sites. Even as the Prime Minister often refers to India as the ‘Land of Gautam Buddha,’ the Buddhist community remains marginalised at Bodh Gaya,” Talukdar stated.
The rally concluded with a memorandum being submitted to the President of India, the Prime Minister, and the Chief Minister of Bihar through the Margherita co-district commissioner. The memorandum urged swift amendments to the 1949 Act to ensure fair representation and management rights for Buddhists at the Mahabodhi Temple.
This peaceful demonstration reflects a growing nationwide movement among Buddhists for rightful control over their sacred heritage. The protestors hope their demands will prompt immediate action from the government to protect the sanctity of the Mahabodhi Mahavihara and uphold the rights of the Buddhist community.
