Raghunath temple a public property: CM

Pratibha Chauhan

Tribune News Service

Shimla, July 28

Even as scion of Kullu royal family Maheshwar Singh prepares for a legal battle on the takeover of the Raghunath temple, the state government seems to be determined to go ahead with the decision as Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today said the move was prompted by public clamour for temple takeover.

The showdown between Maheshwar Singh, Himachal Lokhit Party (HLP) MLA from Kullu, and the government seems imminent as Virbhadra refuted claims by the erstwhile ruler that it was a private temple located on the premises of a private property.

“It is a public temple as the entire Dussehra festivity revolves around Lord Raghunath, so it is wrong to claim that it is a private temple,” he said.

It was during the last Cabinet meeting on July 25 that the government decided to take over the temple in Kullu being managed by Maheshwar. The very next day, the notification was issued and yesterday the Deputy Commissioner, Kullu, gave one-week’s notice to Maheshwar to hand over the complete assets of the temple. He is likely to challenge the move in the court.

He refuted aspersions that the takeover decision was prompted by political considerations as Maheshwar, who, till now had been supporting the Congress, had made up his mind to return to the BJP.

“It is wrong to drag the name of Ayurveda Minister Karan Singh, brother of Maheshwar Singh, into the controversy as he had nothing to do with it except that he was part of the Cabinet decision,” said Virbhadra.

He said an earlier court judgment that it was a public temple was more relevant than the ruling by a Punjab court during the undivided Punjab about the temple being a private chapel.

“Hypothetically even if the claims of Maheshwar that it is a private temple are found to be true by the court, the Himachal Government will consider constructing another beautiful temple elsewhere in Kullu,” he remarked.

The Chief Minister said though the demand for government takeover was being made for the last few years, after the theft of the three main idols in December 2014, the demand had escalated.

He said the only objective behind the takeover move was to ensure proper maintenance and security and except for the management, nothing would change, including the religious ceremony and prayers.