THE pilgrim rush at the temples of Badrinath and Kedarnath has now quietened. But the spotlight has returned. This time it’s the Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple committee which manages the centuries old temples in the Garhwal Himalayas that is in the dock, accused of financial irregularities.Former CEO of the committee Indrajeet Malhotra has charged senior members with corruption. Last week the Uttaranchal government instituted an inquiry into these allegations. Meanwhile, the state unit of the BJP has accused the N.D. Tiwari-led Congress government of appointing a non-sanatani as chairman of the Badrinath-Kedarnath temple committee. The party also objected to an apparent report that the temple committee had given land to Reliance group at Badrinath. This is not the first time that the temple has been at the centre of a storm. Earlier there was an identity crisis at the temple when three shankracharayas claimed to have a rightful claim on the Badrinath dham. THE seeds of the current crisis lie in the standoff between the temple CEO and the temple committee chairman. When Indrajeet Malhotra, a retired judge, was appointed CEO of the Badrinath Kedarnath Temple committee by the state government just over a month and a half ago, chairman Nand Kishore Nautiyal resented it. Malhotra’s attempts at having his say in the running of the temple committee were opposed, prompting him to resign alleging widespread corruption within the organisation. In his resignation, Malhotra urged the government to dissolve the temple committee, alleging that top officials were using the shrine’s wealth as their personal one. He argues that the Badrinath temple, which for the past 1,200 years has remained one of the most revered Hindu shrine, has a meagre deposit only of Rs 4 crore whereas smaller ashrams and temples in the country have much heavier ones. ‘‘It is impossible for me to continue under these circumstances,’’ Malhotra said. Meanwhile, Manohar Kant Dhyani, a former MP and vice-president of the state BJP, has alleged that Tiwari has played with the sentiments of the Hindus by appointing Nautiyal, a ‘‘communist’’, as chairman of the temple committee. He demanded a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation into the financial irregularities. He also objected to the proposed move by the committee to give land to Reliance group at Badrinath by the committee. IT’S a confrontation Tiwari would do anything to avoid. After all, Nautiyal, a former journalist, is his close friend and Malhotra is also his nominee. Though finally Tiwari accepted Malhotra’s resignation on Thursday, his government has also ordered an audit of the accounts of the temple committee. An independent agency would hold the audit, chief secretary Dr R S Tolia said. Meanwhile, Nautiyal publicly denied that there was any irregularity in the temple committee. He said a shrine like Badrinath cannot be run like a business venture. Nautiyal, whose three year-term expires next month said, ‘‘I am ready to face any kind of inquiry.’’ The latest controversy has also triggered a public outcry. Demonstrations were held in Hardwar and Rishikesh demanding Nautiyal’s resignation. The All India Tirath Samman Samiti has been holding a dharna at the Uttaranchal Vidhan Sabha in Dehra Dun for the past week, demanding the a CBI inquiry and that the temple committee be dissolved.
