ABAP drops opposition to proposed ordinance on religious places

Akhara Parishad against registration of more akharas, besides the 13 existing ones

PRAYAGRAJ: The Akhil Bhartiya Akhara Parishad (ABAP) has withdrawn its opposition to the proposed Religious Places Registration Ordinance-2020 of the state government, said the top decision-making body of 13 recognised Hindu monastic orders in the country.

The Akhara Parishad also said that all the 13 akharas had reached a consensus that they would accept whatever decision the state government took.

At the same time, ABAP said the state government, or for that matter any agency, should not entertain any other organisation that applies for getting registered, claiming itself to be an akhara.

“Be it Kinnar Akhara, Pari Akhara or for that matter any other organisation, which applies for getting registered as an akhara with the state government, should not be registered. We demand that the government not entertain any such claim as there cannot be a 14th akhara other than the 13 existing ones of the country which are members of the larger body ABAP,” said ABAP president Mahant Narendra Giri.

Any organisation could merge with the existing akharas but the existence of a separate (new) akhara would not be accepted, he added. Giri said that this had been decided at a meeting of ABAP held at Baghambari Gaddi Mutt on Friday.

On the other hand, Mahamandelesh war Laxmi Narayan Tripathi, head of the transgender Kinnar Akhara, strongly opposed ABAP’s stand on the issue of not recognising their akhara as a separate one.

“In the (Prayagraj) Kumbh2019, there was so much of opposition against us, but still we were given all the amenities by the state government and the same would be extended to us at Haridwar Kumbh-2021. Now, the time has come for ABAP to act as an ocean and not confine itself as a frog in a well. There are some individuals in the parishad who have been opposing us, but we would continue to exist and express our demand, a right given to us by the constitution of this country,” said Tripathi.

The ABAP meeting also passed several other important resolutions. T

he saints of ABAP have once again demanded that the Uttarakhand government should extend all amenities at Haridwar Kumbh-2021.

The saints also said that it was unfair on the part of the Uttarakhand government to provide just a room, but rather it should make all the arrangements for the Haridwar Kumbh, as required, failing which the saints would be forced to stage a protest.

“If the proposal of the saints is not accepted, the Akhara Parishad would demonstrate and complain to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The meeting was of the consensus that facilities like the ones provided in Prayagraj should be replicated in the Haridwar Kumbh as well,” said Giri.

“At the same time, the Parishad has demanded dissolution of the Maharashtra government and imposing President’s rule there,” said Giri. All the members of the parishad were angry with the “continuous killing” of saints in Maharashtra, he explained.

We demand that the government not entertain any such claim as there cannot be a 14th akhara other than the 13 existing ones of the country which are members of the larger body ABAP MAHANT NARENDRA GIRI,

ABAP president