Jains, Sikhs And Buddhists Exempted From Kedarnath, Badrinath Ban: Temple Committee

Dehradun: The Shri Badrinath Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) of Uttarakhand said on Tuesday that the move to ban non-Hindus from entering Badrinath, Kedarnath and other temples will not apply to Jains, Sikhs and Buddhists and would only apply to Muslims and Christians.

What did committee say?

The Shri Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC) chairman Hemant Dwivedi said that Jains, Sikhs and Buddhists will be treated as part of the Hindu and will not face any restrictions.

Dwivedi said, "Under Article 25 of the Constitution, the definition of Hindus includes people professing Sikhism, Jainism and Buddhism," and further added that the ban on non-Hindus would only apply to Muslims and Christians.

The temple panel oversees the Himalayan shrines that are part of the Char Dham pilgrimage circuit

Why is the committee considering for change?

The BKTC chairman also said that the proposal is slated for approval during a board meeting in late January or early February.

Officials and priests involved with the temples said that these are not general tourist spots but sacred sites where faith matters and formal rules are needed to maintain the “sanctity” of the temples.

"Administrators and priests of all major temples in the state believed that to maintain the sanctity of the temples, a ban on the entry of non-Hindus needed to be imposed..." he told news agency ANI.

Dwivedi also pointed to past incidents that he said made stricter controls necessary, though critics have questioned these claims.

Earlier on Monday, Dwivedi had said that "these shrines are not tourist destinations but the supreme spiritual centres of Sanatan traditions. Hence, the issue of non-Hindu entry to these sites is a matter of religious faith."

He said that this step is being taken to preserve religious traditions and customs, further added that there are already rules regarding entry into these Dhams and the tradition has to be implemented further to save them.

Has the political and social debate started?

After this proposal, political and social debate has intensified in Uttarakhand. Some people consider it a religious fundamental right, while on the other hand critics are calling it a step to isolate people from religious places. Further discussion is expected on this decision as the possibility of such restrictions being implemented will increase if it is approved in the board meeting.