NASHIK :
Various religious organisations connected with the temples, muths, monasteries, Gurudwaras and Buddhist monasteries on Saturday morning staged Ghantanaad agitation outside the temples and different shrines across the city demanding reopening of all the shrines in the state which are closed for the last five months.
The lead agitation which was principally supported by major political parties including Bharatiya Janata Party, was staged at Ramkund at 11 am by ringing the bells. The agitators held protest against the ruling Mahavikas Aghadi government in the state seeking immediate reopening of religious shrines.
MLAs Devyani Farande and Rahul Dhikale, city president Girish Palve, Tushar Bhosale of the spiritual front, seer Sudhirdas Pujari, Bhakti Charandas, Satish Shukla of Purohit Sangh, Ramsingh Bawri of Hindu Ekta and office bearers of various religious outfits were present on the occasion.
The agitation was supported by BJP state president Chandrakant Patil, Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Akhil Bharatiya Sant Samiti, Akhil Bharatiya Warkari Mahamandal, all India Purohit Sangh, Jai Babaji Bhakt Parivar, Mahanubhav, Lingayat Jain and Sikh sampradayas.
Ghantanaad also took place at several religious places in the state including Trimbakeshwar, Shirdi, Shani Shinganapur, Kolhapur, Tuljapur, Alandi, Jejuri, Pandharpur, Paithan, Verul and other places.
Throughout the country the temples have been reopened after the lockdown, but in Maharashtra, the government has not permitted to reopen temples.
“The central government has issued a circular on June 4, 2020 permitting reopening of Devasthan. Accordingly, Rajasthan, Kerala and other states have reopened temples, monasteries and other religious places. The Maharashtra government can start gyms, malls, and allows liquor shops then why it can’t give permission to reopen temples, shrines ?,” questioned the agitators.
Agitating member Bhosale said that the Corona epidemic has left the society mentally exhausted for the past five months. It is necessary to get mental support by doing bhajan, pujan, kirtan of our adorable deity.
Major temples in the country have reopened with Vaishno Devi and Tirupati Balaji. But after the holy month of Shravan, even though Anant Chaturdashi is approaching, it is a pity that the state government does not take a decision about reopening of religious shrines and temples, they further alleged.
