Gangtok, Sept. 21 -- The nationwide movement demanding the repeal of the Bodh Gaya Temple Act, 1949 gained momentum today as Buddhists held a rally in this capital city of Sikim.
The protest, led by the All India Buddhist Forum (AIBF), seeks to restore complete management rights of the Mahabodhi Mahavihara in Bodh Gaya, the site where Lord Buddha attained enlightenment.
The BT Act, framed in 1949 when the Buddhist population in Bihar was small, mandates a management committee of eight members, four Buddhists and four non-Buddhists with the District Magistrate, who is always a non-Buddhist, serving as the chairperson.
Protesters argue that this structure denies Buddhists their rightful control over their holiest shrine and violates consti...