Devasthanam Board Won't Be Allowed To Harm Interest Of Priests: Uttarakhand Chief Minister

The Devasthanam Board, which came into existence during the tenure of Trivendra Singh Rawat, controls the management of 51 temples, including Chardham.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Tuesday said the Devasthanam Board will not be allowed to harm the interest of priests and ''hak-hakookdharis'', who have traditional rights on resources in and around the temples, at any cost. The Devasthanam Board, which came into existence during the tenure of Trivendra Singh Rawat, controls the management of 51 temples, including Chardham. Dhami gave the assurance to a delegation of priests, ''hak-hakookdharis'' and members of Panda Samaj led by Devprayag MLA Vinod Kandari and former MLA from Kedarnath Shaila Rani Rawat. Senior BJP leader Manohar Kant Dhyani has been asked to submit his recommendations to the state government only after listening to pilgrimage priests (teerth-purohits) and knowing their apprehensions, Dhami said.