Protest over removal of Babulnath priest

Protest over removal of Babulnath priest
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE

APRIL 2: Over 25 devotees of the Babulnath Temple went on a hunger strike this morning outside the temple protesting against the removal of the head pujari, Bhalchandra Joshi, from his post by the trustees.

The hunger strike was called off at 7 pm only after several political leaders, including Atul Shah and Raj Purohit of the Bharatiya Janata Party and Minister of state for Home, Kripa Shanker Singh, assured the protesters that an inquiry would be held and the matter raised in the assembly.

Among the organisations that participated in the protest were the Shri Babulnath Seva Mandal, the Babulnath Bhadut Mitra Mandal and the Babulnath Bhakt Mandal.

Kailash Rathi, President of the Shri Babulnath Seva Mandal, alleged that the trustees had not given balance sheets for five years and had misappropriated crores of rupees. After the Gujarat quake the trustees had publicised in newspapers that Rs 10 crore, 100 tonnes of grains and medicines had been sent in relief operations. ``But this information was not true,'' alleges Rathi.

Rajeev Merchant, Joint Secretary of the National Congress Party, who joined the protesters alleged this was just one example of how an attempt is being made to misappropriate temple funds. When Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal called the trustees for a discussion nobody including Nitin Thakker, President of the trust, turned up.

Merchant clarified he was concerned not in his capacity as a political leader but as a Shiv bhakt.

Merchant said that the pujari, Joshi, had been in the post since 45 years and the protest would continue till he was reinstated.

Atul Shah, the BJP MLA, said that issue would be raised in the assembly.

Meanwhile sources revealed that the decision to remove the head pujari was not a unanimous one. Two trustees gave in writing that the head pujari had served the temple loyally and should not be removed. They alleged it was chairperson Nitin Thakker who was behind the move. Thakker has not to date replied to the letter sent by the two trustees.

Krishnakant Mehta, a trustee, said `` I cannot say much because I am one of the nine trustees but whatever happened was not right.''

Nitin Thakker, the chairperson of temple, was not available on the phone when attempts were made to contact him by Newsline. µ