Dharma Sansad comments against Muslims, Waqf Board stir controversy
Lucknow: A major religious gathering, Dharma Sansad, held in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj, has sparked outrage after attendees made provocative demands and anti-Muslim remarks.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the event, attended by over 5,000 Hindu religious leaders, saints, and devotees, called for the repeal of the Places of Worship Act and the establishment of a Sanatan Board.
Religious leader Jagadguru Vidya Bhaskar urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to abolish the Places of Worship Act, which preserves religious sites in their pre-1947 condition. Bhaskar stated, “We are sending a demand letter to the government. Our slogan is: ‘Sambhal, Mathura, Vishwanath, we will take all three together.'”
Devkinandan Thakur, a prominent religious figure, made inflammatory remarks, claiming that the Waqf Board had laid claim to the Kumbh site. He questioned the need for a Waqf Board in India, citing the absence of a Hindu Board in Pakistan and Bangladesh. Thakur’s comments drew backlash for invoking fear and tension between communities.
The Dharma Sansad also passed resolutions demanding that temples be freed from government control and proposing financial assistance to impoverished Hindu families to prevent religious conversion. However, the event’s anti-Muslim rhetoric has sparked widespread criticism, raising concerns about the growing divide between communities and the implications of such proposals on India’s secular fabric.
