U'Khand: Priests to go on fast unto death against Chardham shrine board

Rishikesh: Opposing proposed legislation seeking creation of a Chardham shrine board, Teerth-purohits (priests) of Uttarakhand on Saturday, said they will hold rallies and sit on a fast unto death.

The teerth-purohits are set to organise rallies in Uttarkashi and Shrinagar-Garhwal on December 18 and 20 respectively, after which they will sit on a fast unto death along with their families in Dehradun, president of Devbhoomi Teerth Purohit Hak Hakookdar Mahapanchayat Krishna Kant Kotiyal told reporters here.

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The state cabinet recently gave its nod for the board's creation on the lines of Mata Vaishno Devi and Tirupati Balaji shrine boards and a legislation on it is likely to be introduced soon in the state assembly.

Once the board comes into being, it will run the affairs of over 50 ancient temples located in different parts of Uttarakhand including the famous four Himalayan shrines of Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri.

The main grouse of teerth-purohits is that they were not taken into confidence by the state government before drafting the legislation seeking the shrine board's creation.

They apprehend that their interests will suffer if the shrine board gets constituted.

Kotiyal accused the state government of spreading a lie that the teerth-purohits are in agreement with it over constitution of the board.

There is great resentment among teerth-purohits against the government for giving clearance to the draft legislation without sharing it with the priests, Kotiyal said.