Uttarakhand: Pilgrim Priests Express Resentment Over Rising ‘VIP Culture’; Raise Slogans of “Down with the BKTC President” at Kedarnath
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Today at Kedarnath Dham, the anger of the Teerth Purohits (pilgrim priests) erupted against BKTC Chairman Hemant Dwivedi. The priests are furious over the growing “VIP culture” within the Char Dham pilgrimage circuit.
Priests Chant “Down with BKTC Chairman” Slogans in Kedarnath
Today at Kedarnath Dham, the pilgrim priests voiced their outrage regarding the escalating VIP culture across the Char Dham sites. Furthermore, they raised slogans of “Down with Hemant Dwivedi”—the Chairman of the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple Committee (BKTC). The priests have demanded that the Chairman immediately put an end to VIP entry privileges. They argue that the priority being accorded to select individuals is causing inconvenience to ordinary devotees.
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Uttarakhand Government Had Imposed a Ban on VIP Darshan
It is worth noting that the Uttarakhand government had previously imposed a one-month ban on VIP darshan (viewing of the deity). Despite this directive, VIP darshan continues to proceed without interruption at both Kedarnath and Badrinath Dham. Just a few days ago, renowned singer Kailash Kher arrived to offer prayers at Badrinath and Kedarnath Dham, while today, Gautam Adani arrived to seek the blessings of Baba Kedar. These incidents further inflamed the sentiments of the pilgrim priests, prompting them to commence chanting slogans against the BKTC.
