Maharashtra: CM Devendra Fadnavis Assures Mandir Mahasangh Of 'Anti-Land Grabbing Law' To Combat Illegal Sales Of Temple Properties

Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister assured a delegation from Maharashtra Mandir Mahasangh of government action on implementing an 'Anti-Land Grabbing Law' during a meeting at Nagpur Vidhan Bhavan. The association of temples has been demanding of a law to address the issues of land grabbing of temple properties.

While the winter session of Maharashtra legislative assembly is underway, delegates from the Maharashtra Mandir Mahasangh met the CM Devendra Fadnavis and the deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde to highlight the issue of land grabbing of temples. The association claimed that several incidents of illegal land grabbing of temple properties have surfaced across the state.

The delegation, which included members of the Mandir Mahasangh, Hindu Janajagruti Samiti, temple trustees, priests and BJP members, demanded to enact an ‘Anti-Land Grabbing Act’ to address the issue. The association claimed that Fadnavis assured the delegation of government action on the matter during the meeting. Dy CM Shinde said that the government is serious about encroachments on temple lands and will act promptly.

The delegation also shared individual cases of such illegal land deals including Amravati’s Someshwar Devasthan, Akola’s Balaji Devasthan and Amravati’s Shri Kaleshwar Devasthan. The association demanded a stringent law on the lines of the ‘Anti-Land Grabbing Act’ to be implemented in states like Gujarat, Odisha, Karnataka, and Assam.

“These transactions reportedly involve collusion between government officials and land mafias, with no stringent action taken against the culprits. Many cases remain unresolved due to prolonged civil suits,” said Sunil Ghanwat, national coordinator of Mandir Mahasangh.

The association also shared invitations to the CM and Dy CM for the ‘Maharashtra Mandir Nyas Parishad’ scheduled to be held in Shirdi on December 24 and 25.