Assam Buddhist body to move UN over Bodh Gaya temple dispute

The Federation of Barua Buddhist Welfare Association of Assam (FBBWAA) has announced its intent to take the issue of the controversial Bodh Gaya Temple Management Committee (BTMC) Act, 1949, to the United Nations Organization (UNO) headquarters in New York City, USA. The organization strongly opposes the Act, which allegedly allows non-Buddhist individuals to exercise control over the management of the sacred Mahabodhi Temple in Bodh Gaya, Bihar — one of Buddhism’s most revered pilgrimage sites.

The FBBWAA, led by Chairman Subash Barua and Secretary General Shibu Talukdar, has expressed grave concern over what they termed as decades of unconstitutional control over the temple’s affairs. They emphasized that Buddhist communities across India have been protesting the BTMC Act, which they believe undermines the sanctity of a sacred Buddhist site by allowing non-Buddhists to dominate its administration.

The formation of the Mahabodhi Mahavihara Mukti Andolan (MMMA) last year aimed to free the Mahabodhi Temple from what activists describe as external and non-Buddhist influence. However, tensions escalated during the recent Buddha Jayanti celebrations at Bodh Gaya, when a group of fringe elements allegedly disrupted the event, shouted slogans against the MMMA, and physically assaulted a Buddhist monk, Bhikkhu Vinacharya, who has since gone missing.

"This incident exposes the failure of the Bihar Government and Bihar Police to protect Buddhist monks and safeguard a globally significant religious site," said Subash Barua.

Talukdar further emphasized that the incident is not isolated. “Vested interest groups are continuously trying to hinder the Buddhist liberation movement. Despite repeated appeals, no concrete action has been taken. We now demand intervention from the highest offices — the President, Prime Minister, Home Minister, Chief Minister of Bihar, and the Director General of Police,” he said.

Unless swift action is taken to trace the missing monk and restore full management rights of the Mahabodhi Temple to Buddhist hands, FBBWAA said it will be compelled to raise its voice on an international platform, including approaching the United Nations.