Rally to be held in Bengaluru

Rahul Doddamani, State director of Bodhagaya Mahabodhi Mahavihar Mukti Andolana and Upasika and Upasaka Charitable Trust, Karnataka, has said that a rally will be organised at Freedom Park, Bengaluru, on December 6 to demand the handover of Mahabodhi Mahavihar to Buddhist administration.

He was addressing a press conference in Yadgir on Friday.

He said that Mahabodhi Mahavihar was built during the period of King Ashoka and was brought under the control of the Hindu religion by the Bodhagaya Temple Act. This move was completely against the Constitution. Therefore, we request the government to revoke such a move and hand over the Mahavihar to Buddhists, he further said.

The Bengaluru’s proposed rally is the preliminary preparation in support of the nationwide agitation—Delhi Chalo for Liberation of Mahabodhi Mahavira—that is scheduled to be held on February 12, he said, and added that around 10,000 people, including the activists of various Dalit organisations, women’s organisations, students, Buddhists, and others, are expected to participate in Bengaluru.

Bhagwanth Anwar, an activist, said that Sannati, the historical place for Buddhists, should be developed, as declared in the previous year’s budget, in 200 acres of the area, like the Buddhavan model that was developed in Andhra Pradesh.

He also urged the state government to form the ‘Karnataka Buddhist Development Board’ to develop the Scheduled Castes and Buddhists economically and socially, and a holiday should be declared for the Buddha Jayanthi celebration, and approximately 5-10 acres of land should be reserved in each Gram and Taluk Panchayat limit, and also at District Headquarters to establish Buddha Vihar. 

The State government should take immediate action to protect inscriptions of the King Ashoka’s era at Sannati, Maski, Gavimath, Palkigundu, Nittur, Udungol, Bharhmagiri, Jating Rameshwar, Rajghatta and other similar places.

Mareppa Bukkal, Naganna Kalladevanahalli, Kashinath Natekar, Venkatesh, Sharanu Natekar, Chandrakant Chalavadi, Honnappa, and Chandrappa were present.