Mumbai Police cut route of Ambedkar anniversary morcha demanding exclusive Buddhist control of Mahabodhi Temple; BJP-RSS ideology faces scrutiny
NEW DELHI/MUMBAI — Tensions are mounting in Mumbai ahead of a protest demanding exclusive Buddhist control over the Mahabodhi Temple in Bodh Gaya, with city police significantly curtailing the planned route of the march. The restriction has sparked allegations of political suppression and highlighted growing discontent with the BJP-RSS establishment’s perceived upper-caste bias.
The march scheduled for October 14, originally intended to cover 5.5 km distance from Byculla’s Jijamata Udyan to Azad Maidan, has been reduced to a mere 750 meters by the Mumbai Police, who cite logistical and regulatory constraints. Organisers say the decision dilutes the symbolic strength of the protest, which coincides with the anniversary of Dr BR Ambedkar’s historic conversion to Buddhism in 1956 — a date deeply significant to Ambedkarite and Dalit Buddhist communities.
The protest is being led by the Mahabodhi Mahavihara Mukti Andolan Kruti Samiti, a coalition advocating for the “liberation” of the Mahabodhi Temple from what it calls “upper-caste Hindu control.” The committee demands full administrative control of the temple — considered the most sacred site in Buddhism — be handed over to the Buddhist community.
“This is not just a political rally — it is a spiritual and cultural movement to reclaim what is rightfully ours,” said Gautam Sonawane, Republican Party of India (Athawale) state general secretary. “We met with DCP Dr Pravin Munde to request the original route, but were denied without adequate justification.”
Currently, under the Bodh Gaya Temple Management Act, the temple is run by a nine-member committee composed of four Buddhists, four Hindus (read Brahmins), and the district magistrate of Gaya — a non-Buddhist who serves as the ex-officio chairperson. Protesters argue this structure violates both the spirit of religious autonomy and the constitutional right to manage one’s religious institutions.
Union Minister Ramdas Athawale, whose party is part of the ruling NDA alliance, has openly supported the protest and demanded an amendment to the Act. But the movement is creating visible unease within the BJP-RSS fold, where many see the call for exclusive Buddhist management as a challenge to Hindu cultural hegemony — a cornerstone of Sangh Parivar ideology.
While organisers insist the protest is non-violent and apolitical, the implications are far-reaching. With Bihar set to go to polls next month and caste-based fault lines increasingly prominent in national politics, the curtailment of the march may backfire for the BJP, especially among Dalit and Buddhist voters who view Ambedkar’s legacy as sacrosanct.
Critics say the police move appears less about logistics and more about minimising political visibility of a movement that strikes at the ideological roots of India’s ruling party. The decision has already galvanised online support, with hashtags like #FreeMahabodhi and #BuddhistRights trending on social media.
As the protest committee prepares for a final meeting with police and traffic officials to decide the march’s fate, the question remains: Will the call to ‘liberate’ Bodh Gaya grow louder — and more politically potent — in the weeks to come?
