Investigate whether real ornaments were replaced by fake ones ! – HJS

Issue of finding bagful of fake ornaments in Shri Vitthal Mandir, Pandharpur

Memorandum being submitted to Solapur Dy District Collector Shama Pawar by from left – Mrs Swati Solanke, and Rajan Bunage,  and Dattareya Bhise of HJS 

Solapur –  Recently, officers at Shri Vitthal – Rukmini Mandir, Pandharpur informed that bags full of fake ornaments were found in the temple. It was claimed by the temple management that some devotees were purposely donating fake ornaments; thus, in a way, it tried to disown its responsibility.  There is a possibility of theft of the real ornaments, and their replacement with fake ones. Hindu Janajagruti Samiti (HJS), therefore, demanded with Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde that the Government should conduct impartial and in-depth investigations into the matter through its senior officers. A memorandum was submitted by a delegation of HJS to Solapur’s Dy District Collector Shama Pawar who accepted the same and assured them to forward it for necessary action.

It has been stated in the memorandum, 

1. HJS has earlier exposed the malpractices of temple administrations happening in various ways, such as not depositing in banks, the money collected daily in donation boxes, but stocking them in sacks for two months; not keeping a proper note of account books and receipts books; spending millions of rupees on fodder but not showing income earned through the sale of milk; selling temple’s cows to butchers; not getting the accounts checked by a chartered accountant when the expenditure was more than Rs. 48 lakhs; taking Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation’s building on rent, but recording loss of Rs. 47, 97, 716/- during the years 2000 to 2010 due to underuse of the building. HJS, therefore, doubts that finding bags of fake ornaments could also be due to some fraud.

2. Why the Warkaris or devotees, who walk hundreds of kilometres irrespective of severe heat, cold, or rain only to meet their beloved Shri Vitthal, would donate fake ornaments to Shri Vitthal ? It is kind of accusing the simple and straightforward ‘Warkaris’. It is, therefore, necessary to find out the true conspiracy in this issue. There is also a possibility of the jewellers, from whom the devotees buy ornaments, deceiving devotees and selling them fake ornaments. The Government should also investigate from this angle. Immediate arrangements should be made for checking the authenticity of ornaments when they are offered to God. It is not difficult for the temple administration to make such arrangements, but why have such arrangements not been made so far ? It shows the indifference of the temple administration towards the donations received by the temples.

Stop the Governments from managing temples !

These are the adverse effects of the Government’s taking over the management of temples. If temples were managed by devotees, they would never loot temple funds. HJS has, therefore, demanded freeing temples from the Government’s control.