Officials of Uttarakhand Tirtha Purohit Mahapanchayat met CM Dhami, requested to provide financial assistance for important religious festivals and fairs of Char Dham

The officials of Uttarakhand Tirtha Purohit Mahapanchayat met Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami at the Chief Minister’s Camp Office on Tuesday and congratulated the Chief Minister on the completion of his 03-year tenure. He also thanked the Chief Minister for the decision taken regarding the formation of an authority or any other institution to organize the Chardham Yatra and the cabinet’s decision to make strict legal provisions against the formation of a trust or committee in the name of the Chardham and other major temples of the state. Welcoming the decision of the Chief Minister, he said that this will not cause any confusion among the crores of devotees of Chardham across the country. He said that this is definitely a good decision of the state government and after the decision of the Devasthanam Board was withdrawn, it is a decision taken in the interest of the Tirtha Purohits, which is welcomed by all the Tirtha Purohits, Pujaris, Rawals and everyone. The officials of Uttarakhand Tirtha Purohit Mahapanchayat requested the Chief Minister to provide financial assistance from the state government for the important religious festivals and fairs of Char Dham so that these events can be organized in a divine and grand manner at the local level. They also put forth the matter before the Chief Minister that before the formation of the proposed authority or any other institution to be constituted to organize the Char Dham Yatra, the Tirtha Purohits of Char Dham, temple committees, Tirtha Purohit Maha Sabhas as well as stakeholders should be taken into confidence. Strict action should be taken against anti-social elements who spread videos, unverified and misleading propaganda related to the Char Dham Yatra and no pilgrim should be deprived of visiting Char Dham due to the registration system during the Yatra period. For this, it was also requested to completely abolish the registration system in public interest.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that by making strict legal provisions against the formation of trust or committee in the name of the four Dhams and other major temples of the state by the Cabinet, there will be no confusion among the general public. Also, local traditions and religious beliefs will not be hurt and there will be no possibility of resentment at the local level. In view of this, the decision to implement strict legal provisions by the state government has been taken by the Cabinet in the interest of the state. Now no person or institution within the state or outside the state will be able to form a committee or trust in the name of the four Dhams and major temples of the state by forming any committee or trust. This will also resolve the dispute arising in this regard.

The Chief Minister said that keeping in mind the improvement of the Char Dham Yatra and the journey of the coming 30 years, the state government is planning to constitute an authority or any other institution to organize the Char Dham Yatra. He said that the opinion of the pilgrimage priests and stakeholders will also be taken in this. Apart from this, on the request of the Tirtha Purohits, the Chief Minister also talked about providing financial assistance from the state government for two religious events and festivals organized in each Dham. The Chief Minister said that efforts are being made to further improve the offline and online system for the devotees under the Char Dham Yatra. Both online and offline systems will be kept open in the second phase of the Yatra. Every possible effort is being made to ensure that no passenger coming to the Char Dham faces any inconvenience.

On this occasion, Director General Information Banshidhar Tiwari, General Secretary of Char Dham Mahapanchayat Dr. Brijesh Sati, Kishore Bhatt, Yamunotri Tirtha Purohit Mahasabha President Purushottam Uniyal, Media Incharge of Char Dham Mahapanchayat Rajnikant Semwal, Vice President Amit Uniyal, Alok Semwal of Gangotri Dham, Lakhan Uniyal, Suresh Hatwal, Ramesh Kothiyal, Chintamani Hatwal, Gaurav, Hardik, Shivam, Sushil and Dr. Manish Semwal etc. were present.