Agartala, January 11:
Demanding complete control of the Mahabodhi Temple at Bodh Gaya by the Buddhist community, members of the All India Buddhist Forum (AIBF) and various Buddhist organisations on Sunday organised a state-level candlelight march in Agartala, calling for the repeal of the Bodh Gaya Temple Act, 1949.
A large number of Buddhist devotees participated in the peaceful procession, which began from the historic Venuban Buddha Vihar—one of Tripura’s oldest Buddhist monasteries, established during the reign of the Manikya Maharajas when the state was a princely kingdom. Carrying candles, placards and banners, the march was held under the banner of the AIBF state committee and allied Buddhist organisations.
Addressing reporters, Akash Lama, All India General Secretary of the AIBF and Buddhist Organisation, said the movement seeks “liberation” of the Mahabodhi Temple, the holiest site of Buddhism, from non-Buddhist control. He said Buddhist monks and supporters at Bodh Gaya have been observing an indefinite hunger strike since February 12, 2025, demanding reforms in the temple’s management system.
At present, the Mahabodhi Temple is managed by the Bodh Gaya Temple Management Committee (BTMC), comprising nine members, of whom only four are Buddhists while five are non-Buddhists. Lama termed this arrangement unjust and demanded that all nine members be Buddhists through repeal of the 1949 Act.
He further argued that under Article 13 of the Indian Constitution, pre-Constitution laws inconsistent with fundamental rights are void, and therefore the Bodh Gaya Temple Act should be scrapped. Buddhist religious institutions, he said, must enjoy the same autonomy as places of worship belonging to other religions.
Lama noted that Buddhist organisations have been carrying out peaceful protests across the country for the past three years. As part of the campaign, a nationwide ‘Mashal Rally’ launched from Nagpur on August 10, 2025, has reached Tripura to mobilise public support.
He added that several memoranda have been submitted to the Bihar and Central governments, while a related case has been pending before the Supreme Court since 2012, with the next hearing scheduled for February 17.
After the march, devotees gathered at Venuban Buddha Vihar, where leaders highlighted the objectives of the movement and reiterated that the existing management structure undermines religious freedom and self-governance at Buddhism’s most sacred site.
