The minister’s demand echoes long-standing calls from Buddhist groups, who have challenged the constitutional and moral legitimacy of Hindu control over a central Buddhist shrine
NEW DELHI — Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment and Republican Party of India (RPI) chief, Ramdas Athawale, has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to amend the Bodh Gaya Temple Management Act and hand over complete control of the Mahabodhi Mahavihara situated in Gaya to Buddhists.
In a brief 10-minute meeting held in Parliament on Friday, Athawale strongly advocated for changes to the Bodh Gaya Temple (BT) Act of 1949, under which the temple is currently administered. The law mandates a trust composed of four Buddhist and four Hindu Brahmin members, with the Gaya District Collector — typically a Hindu — serving as chairperson.
Athawale argued that this arrangement does not reflect the religious and spiritual sanctity the temple holds for Buddhists. “The Mahabodhi Temple is the holiest site for Buddhists across the globe. It is where the most compassionate Lord Gautam Buddha attained enlightenment. Such a sacred institution must be wholly managed by Buddhists,” he told the prime minister.
The minister’s demand echoes long-standing calls from Buddhist groups in India and abroad, who have challenged the constitutional and moral legitimacy of Hindu control over a central Buddhist shrine.
Athawale also commended Prime Minister Modi for the recently executed Operation Sindoor, which targeted and reportedly destroyed terrorist bases across the Pakistan border. “The entire nation is grateful for your leadership and the decisive action taken to protect India’s security,” he said.
Athawale’s RPI is a partner in the NDA at the national level and a constituent of the Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra. However, he expressed discontent over the lack of political representation for his party in the Maharashtra state government.
“We are part of the Mahayuti alliance but have not received our rightful share in power in Maharashtra. I urged the prime minister to ensure our party gets due representation,” Athawale said following the meeting.
The minister also raised the issue of the Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar International Memorial at the Indu Mill compound in Mumbai. “The memorial is a dream for millions of Ambedkarites. Its completion will be a historical moment for Dalits and Buddhists alike,” Athawale said.
The demand for exclusive Buddhist control of the Mahabodhi Mahavihara — a UNESCO World Heritage site — has persisted for decades. Buddhist groups have challenged the post-colonial status quo that, despite the site’s Buddhist origin, allows Hindu trustees significant control over its affairs.
Critics argue that the current setup is a relic of caste-based governance systems that continue to sideline the country’s Buddhist population, the majority of whom are from Dalit and marginalised communities. “Bodh Gaya is the Vatican of the Buddhist world. Its control must lie solely in the hands of Buddhists,” said a Buddhist monk and activist in Bodh Gaya, responding to Athawale’s remarks.
Legal experts have also questioned the continued validity of a law that mandates religious parity in the management of a Buddhist shrine, especially when such a principle is not applied to Hindu or Muslim religious sites.
Whether the BJP-led union government will move to amend the Act remains uncertain. But with an NDA ally making the demand directly to the prime minister, the issue is likely to gain renewed traction, particularly among Ambedkarite and Buddhist constituencies.
