New Delhi: The All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat (AIMMM) has extended its support to the Buddhist community’s longstanding demand for complete control over the Mahabodhi Temple in Bodh Gaya.
In a statement, AIMMM President Dr. Zafarul-Islam Khan affirmed the organization’s full endorsement of the Buddhist community’s movement to gain exclusive authority over the temple. He highlighted that for years, Buddhists have been calling for the transfer of the Mahabodhi Temple—one of Buddhism’s holiest sites—to their management, free from non-Buddhist interference.
The Mahabodhi Temple holds immense religious significance as the place where Mahatma Buddha attained enlightenment around 500 BCE. Consequently, Buddhists worldwide revere it as a sacred site.
However, an unusual law enacted in 1949 dictates that the temple’s management committee comprises four Hindus and four Buddhists, with the District Magistrate of Gaya serving as its chairman. According to this provision, the chairman must be a Hindu, and if the magistrate is not Hindu, their Hindu deputy assumes the position. This structure effectively ensures that the temple remains under non-Buddhist control—an arrangement that many argue is illogical, as non-Buddhists should have no role in managing a Buddhist place of worship.
After years of protests, the Buddhist community intensified its agitation last February, organizing nationwide demonstrations. Since February 12, hundreds of Buddhists have been on a hunger strike in Bodh Gaya to push for their demand. A significant rally was also held in Bodh Gaya on March 18-19. Furthermore, the Buddhist community filed a case in the Supreme Court in 2012 against what they consider an unjust system, but a verdict is still pending.
Dr. Zafarul-Islam Khan reiterated that the Mushawarat stands firmly with its Buddhist brothers and sisters in their struggle and urged that the Mahabodhi Temple be handed over entirely to the Buddhist community without further delay.
