Property rights vested with mahant of Baba Balak Nath temple

Our Correspondent

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Hamirpur, October 10

The Supreme Court has vested all rights of ancestral property with the Mahant of Baba Balak Nath temple situated at Deotsidh and dismissed the petition filed by the Baba Balak Nath (BBN) Temple Trust who failed to prove its claims on the property of the temple. The state government took over the temple in 1987 and also took possession of the properties of the temple, including holy chair (gaddi) of the temple and had deprived the mahant of the temple from all ownership rights. It was also alleged that the head of the chair was even stripped off the position. Sources said initially, the head of holy chair was appointed as the vice-chairman of the trust, but later, his name was omitted even from the list of trustees.

Annoyed by the decisions of the administration and respective governments, the mahants moved the Himachal Pradesh High Court for restoration of their rights and ancestral properties. The state HC had given the decision in favour of mahants, but the temple trust authorities moved the Supreme Court against the decision of the HC.

The BBN temple had land area of around 50 kanal and the revenue by donations was nearly Rs 25 crore annually. The mahants of the temple were not fighting for the revenue of the temple trust, but they were annoyed for not taking them in confidence while doing development works on their land.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court dismissed the petition by the Trust authorities following failure of the Trust authorities to validate their point. Rajinder Giri, head of holy chair of Baba Balak Nath, said it took over a decade to get justice, but he had faith in the law of the land. He said finally, the truth had prevailed.

Vishal Sharma, chairman of temple Trust, said he had not received any communication about the dismissal of the petition pertaining to the temple Trust. The decision would be implemented in its true letter and spirit, he added.