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Dalai Lama must urge for Buddhist control over Mahabodhi temple: Monk

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Patna, Jan 5 (IANS) A monk spear-heading a movement for Buddhist-control over the Mahabodhi temple, has urged Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama to raise the demand with Prime Minister Narender Modi and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

“The Dalai Lama should break his silence over this issue and demand Buddhist control over the Mahabodhi temple in Bodh Gaya…he has so far disappointed by not raising this genuine demand,” Bhante Anand told IANS over telephone on Friday.

Anand is the president of the Akhil Bharatiya Bhikkhu Mahasangh (ABBM) and also president of Bodh Gaya Mukti Andolan Samiti.

“It is unfortunate that the Dalai Lama has time and again exposed himself that for him Buddhist-control over the temple is not an issue.

“He has been doing his politics for decades. He is busy in his own agenda…,” Anand said.

Anand wants to wrest free the Mahabodhi temple, the birth place of Buddhism, from Hindu-control.

Anand said: “Why do Hindus have control over Bodh Gaya temple? It is the only such holy place in the world where control of the most sacred shrine of one religion is in the hands of people belonging to another religion.”

Anand has been leading the movement concerning the 1,500-year-old temple located 110 km from here, where Lord Gautam Buddha is said to have attained enlightenment.

Anand said the Bihar government has to amend the Mahabodhi Temple Management Act, 1949.

The temple is managed, on behalf of the Bihar government, by a nine-member committee headed by the District Magistrate.

Under the state government’s Temple Management Act, only a Hindu can head the managing committee.

The panel comprises of four Buddhists and an equal number of Hindu members for a three-year period with the Gaya District Magistrate as its ex-officio chairman and the Mahanth of the Sankaracharya Math as ex-officio Hindu member.

The state government nominates a Hindu when the District Magistrate is a non-Hindu.

The Mahabodhi Temple was declared a World Heritage site in 2002 by Unesco. It is visited annually by thousands of tourists, especially Buddhists.

–IANS
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Foodman Vishal Singh Honored for Hunger Free World Mission in Bangkok

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Lucknow: Vishal Singh, a renowned social worker from Lucknow, also known as Foodman, has once again made India proud. He was honored by the Happy Hands Gloves Cooperative Limited Company in Korathai, Thailand, for his work with the Hunger Free World Mission.

The Hunger Free World Mission’s meeting was held in Korathai, Thailand, under Vishal Singh’s leadership. Representatives from several countries, including Mr. Raja Dwivedi (Managing Director of Happy Hands Gloves Limited), Thailand Coordinator Mr. Raja Mishra, and member Mr. Varun Singh, attended the event.

Under Vishal Singh’s leadership, the attendees took a pledge to work together toward creating a hunger-free world.

Speaking on the occasion, Vishal Singh explained that the main goal of the Hunger Free World Mission is social participation. He said the mission is not just about feeding people but also about meeting other basic needs of those who are struggling. The mission focuses on helping families of terminally ill patients in hospitals by providing food and shelter. It also works to fulfill essential needs like education, jobs, and care for the elderly.

For the last 16 years, the Vijay Sri Foundation has been providing free services, benefiting thousands of people. Vishal Singh highlighted that the mission aims to gain global recognition like other organizations such as WHO, WWF, and Red Cross, which work for social causes.

During this meeting, Vishal Singh was appointed as the Chairman of the Hunger Free World Mission by representatives from various countries. They also discussed holding regular meetings in different countries to push the mission forward.

Business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has also supported this humanitarian mission, vowing to promote the idea of “Seva Parmo Dharma” (Service is the highest duty) worldwide. Vishal Singh praised him, stating that people like Dr .Abhishek Verma inspire others to work for the betterment of society.

Recently, Romania’s Ambassador, Mr . Daniela Sezonov Ţane, invited Vishal Singh to the Romanian Embassy in Delhi, where they discussed the mission in detail. Impressed by his humanitarian work, she honored Vishal Singh and invited him to Romania to take the mission forward .

Food man Vishal Singh has been serving the people of India for the past 16 years. Through the Vijay Sri Foundation, he provides free meals to cancer patients & their families ,shelter, and education for women & children along with running free old-age homes in Lucknow.

In addition to his humanitarian work, Vishal Singh also addresses issues like crime and corruption through his role as Chairman of Seva Path Media and Managing Director of Vijay Sri Foundation.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vishal Singh and his team worked tirelessly to provide food and help to the needy, including starving children, elderly citizens, and pregnant women. Despite contracting the virus himself, he continued to assist others after his recovery. He even created a life-saving oxygen regulator using household items, which was praised by doctors both in India and abroad.

In his address at the meeting, Vishal Singh spoke about his mission to create a hunger-free world. He pointed out that India’s large population, along with issues like unemployment and poverty, has caused the country to fall on the Hunger Index. He urged people to contribute just one handful of grains daily to help create a hunger-free world.

He concluded by saying that through social participation, we can empower the people around us, meet their basic needs, and work together to build a stronger, more prosperous, and developed society.

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