Investigate corruption in Pandharpur Temple’s Committee through ‘SIT’ – Demand of Maharashtra Mandir Mahasangh

• Valuation of Shri Vitthal’s ancient ornaments and not recording it is a big scam

• From prasad of laddoos, goshala, public toilets, payments in advance, etc. everywhere there is mismanagement

An incident of missing ancient and valuable gold and silver ornaments has recently come to light in the Shri Tulja Bhavani Mandir Sansthan which is under the control of the Maharashtra Government. A few years ago, there was a big scam involving land and jewels in Shri Mahalakshmi Temple of Kolhapur. Similarly, a serious case of more than 300 ancient and precious jewels offered to Shri Vitthal-Rukhmini by Maharajas, Peshwas, Institutions etc. in the temple of Vithuraya of Pandharpur (which is now a place of worship for crores of devotees) not recorded and evaluated in the balance sheet has come to light. Mr Sunil Ghanwat the State Coordinator of Maharashtra Mandir Mahasangh, in a press conference in Pandharpur demanded Special Investigation Team (SIT) of State’s Criminal Investigation Department to investigate immediately whether this is a conspiracy to grab Vithuraya’s jewels. Also, cases should be registered immediately against the guilty officers, employees and members of the temple committee. This press conference was attended by Ha.Bha. P Ramakrishna Veer Maharaj (National Spokesperson of Warkari Sect Pike Sangh), Mr Kishore Gangane (Former President of Pujari Sangh of Tuljapur), Mr Ganesh Lanka President of Shri Vitthal-Rukmini Temple Protection Action Committee, Mr Rajan Bunage (Hindu Janajagruti Samiti) and others were present.

Investigate corruption in #Pandharpur Temple Committee through 'SIT'! – Demand of #Maharashtra_Mandir_Mahasangh @CMOMaharashtra

Valuation of Shri Vitthala's jewelery & not recording is a big scam!

Prasad's laddu, Goshala, toilet, advance money, in everything mismanagement pic.twitter.com/AebwXyz9bO

— Sunil Ghanwat🛕🛕 (@SG_HJS) December 28, 2023

Using inferior cooking oil for Prasad to be given to the Vitthal devotees, dilapidated condition of Goshala, wasting lakhs of rupees without building toilets, not evaluating the gold articles in the temple, etc. are serious concerns. The ‘Maharashtra Mandir Mahasangh’ demanded that the current temple committee should be dissolved and guilty officials be dismissed.

The ‘Annual Audit Report of Shree Vitthal-Rukmini Mandir for the year 2021-22’ was submitted to the Government in the recently concluded Winter Session of the Legislature. In this report, the auditors have clearly mentioned the above mismanagement of the temple committee. Even after 38 years since the temple was Governmentalised in 1985, the ancient and valuable gold and silver items in the temple, the precious ornaments of Deities have not been recorded in the balance sheet, and so also it has not been evaluated. During this period, the possibility of manipulation or theft of ornaments in the temple cannot be ruled out. Also, why are the ornaments offered at the feet of Shri Vitthal-Rukmini not sealed ? Therefore, it is probable that in the past few years, the jewels could have been usurped. Who will give assurance about this, asserted Mr Sunil Ghanwat.

Rs 22 lakh of Shri Vitthal Temple wasted in rent without building Sulabh public toilets

Shri Vitthal-Rukmini Temple Committee had fixed the rent of Rs 1,54,46041 for construction of accessible public toilets on the railway site on 21st March 2017. This agreement was for 35 years and Rs 4,41,315 were being paid annually by the temple committee as rent to the railway administration. Despite this no accessible public toilet has been constructed in the last 5 years. Due to this unplanned management, Rs 22,06,575 of the temple have been wasted. Mr. Ghanwat demanded that whoever made this mistake and wasted money unnecessarily should repay it to the temple committee with interest.

Adulteration in a prasad ladoos; report the crime

The temple committee has given the contract to the self-help groups to make the ladoos which are given to the devotees as prasad. The ingredients description on the packaging states that ‘dry fruits, as well as nutritive ingredients, groundnut oil are being used’ in the ladoo; however not actually using it is a scam. Also, low quality cottonseed oil has been used instead of groundnut oil. It is a sin to give poor quality prasad to the devotees who come to Vitthal’s Holy feet with faith. In this case, the temple committee has taken a deliberate action to withdraw the contract of the self-help groups and confiscate their deposits. The temple committee which turns a blind eye to this is equally guilty and complicit in the sin. Mr Ramkrushna Veer Maharaj demanded that action should be taken against the temple committee as well.

No recovery of advance amount even after 12 years

The advance amount given to the employees by the temple committee is not recovered on time. Rs 1,80,540 has been given as advance amount to 7 individuals in 2010 by the temple; but even after 12 years, it has not been recovered. Apart from this, the advances given to many have not been recovered on time. This thing is also serious, Mr Kishore Gangane said.

Unforgivable act of neglecting sick cows in Goshala

Records of cows in temple samiti’s goshala are not kept. Empty cans of garbage, scrap, oil are kept in the Goshala. When the auditor visited the cowshed, 2 cows and 3 calves were found to have lumpy disease; but they were not properly taken care of. Sales of milk from cows in Goshalas are not recorded. Cows are not even insured. As many as 30 trolleys of cow dung were found by the auditors in the Goshala area and their value was up to Rs 1.35 lakh. It has not been sold on time either. Mr Ghanwat raised a question, ‘If this is the way Government employees-officials ignore to take care of the cows then with what sort of devotion will they work for the temple and the devotees.

All gold and silver articles, parts of the temples and ornaments of all the temples Governmentalised by the Government of Maharashtra should be promptly and time-bound assessed and recorded in the balance sheet. Making of ladoos, sale of manure in cowsheds, etc. should be investigated and cases should be registered against the culprits instead of only being instructed to cancel the contract. All this has happened due to the negligence of the Government-run Temple Committee. Mr Ghanwat finally demanded that the temple committee members who dishonestly handled the funds provided to the temple should be investigated and a case should be registered against them; and honest and deserving Vitthal devotees should be appointed to the Trust.