Hindu Janjagruti Samiti clashes with state government over temple land ownership

Mumbai: The Mahayuti government in Maharashtra, which claims to support Hindutva ideology, has found itself at odds with the Hindu Janjagruti Samiti, a right-wing organisation working on various religious matters. The conflict centres on the government’s decision to transfer temple lands in Marathwada to current occupants, granting them permanent ownership.
On Tuesday, the state cabinet approved a proposal to convert temple and shrine lands in Marathwada to ‘Class 1’ status, effectively granting permanent ownership to current occupants. This decision affects 42,710 hectares of ‘Khidmatmash lands’ – land given to temples and shrines to manage routine expenditure – and 13,803 hectares of ‘Madatmash land’ – land given to communities for livelihood support.
Previously, these lands were classified as ‘Class 2’, which restricted transfer rights and required the collector’s permission for land use changes. The reclassification to ‘Class 1’ will grant occupants unlimited transfer rights.
The Maharashtra Mandir Mahasangh, an organisation affiliated with the Hindu Janjagruti Samiti, has strongly criticised the decision. In a statement, the group said, “This decision of state government contradicts several historic Supreme Court rulings. Notably, the Supreme Court has declared that temple land cannot be acquired in the name of priests or tenants, affirming that no one else has rights over temple land. In 2007, the Supreme Court also ruled that it is the government’s responsibility to fully protect temple property. Thus, the Mahasangh asserts that the government’s decision would violate these Supreme Court judgments.”
Sunil Ghanwat, coordinator of the Mahasangh and the Hindu Janajagruti Samiti for Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh, expressed concern about the impact on temple finances. “Many temple lands have been encroached upon and therefore the government’s decision to convert these lands to ‘Class 1’ and grant permanent ownership to occupants is akin to saying ‘the cure is worse than the disease’,” he said.
Ghanwat added, “If encroachment exists, it is the government’s responsibility to remove it. Granting permanent ownership to encroachers is not the solution. Such a decision will adversely affect the financial management of temples, including repairs, maintenance, and annual festivals. It will collapse the financial structure of temples, a situation unacceptable to any temple management and devotees.”