Bodh Gaya: Massive Protest Demands Transfer of Mahabodhi Mahavihar to Buddhist Monks

Bodh Gaya: Hundreds of Buddhist monks and members of the OBC, SC, and ST communities have been staging an indefinite hunger strike for the past four days in front of the office of the Mahabodhi Mahavihar Temple Management Committee. Their demand is clear: the complete transfer of Mahabodhi Mahavihar to Buddhist monks and the removal of the Brahmin priest who currently holds a key position in the temple’s management.

The protest is being led by Vilas Kharaat, founder of the Bahujan Buddhist organization ‘Sanatan Dhamma.’ The movement has been named the Mahabodhi Mahavihar Liberation Movement.

The protestors are demanding the repeal of the Mahabodhi Mahavihar Act of 1949, which mandates that one of the chief priests of the temple must be a Brahmin. According to Vilas Kharaat, Brahmins are foreign to India, and this has been proven based on DNA evidence. He further argues, “A Muslim mosque cannot be controlled by a non-Muslim, and a Sikh Gurdwara cannot be controlled by a non-Sikh. So, how can a Brahmin take control over a Buddhist temple? This is a clear injustice.”

Growing Nationwide Support for the Protest

People from across the country are arriving in Bodh Gaya to support the Mahabodhi Mahavihar Liberation Movement. A significant number of supporters have joined from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, with many traveling from southern Indian states to participate in the indefinite sit-in demonstration. The movement is gaining momentum as more voices unite to demand justice and the rightful restoration of the temple’s management to Buddhist monks.

The Core Issue

Vilas Kharaat has accused the Brahmin priest of controlling hundreds of Buddha statues and attempting to erase Buddhist heritage. Protestors insist that the Mahabodhi Mahavihar must be handed over to Buddhists, and Brahmins must be completely removed from the temple’s management committee.

The movement is intensifying, and all eyes are now on the authorities to see whether they will heed the demands of the protestors or continue with the existing management structure.