Uttarakhand CM Revokes Former Govt's Char Dham Law, 51 Temples Taken Out Of State's Ambit

Trinath Singh Rawat's decision to free temple and shrines comes hours after his meeting with Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP). 

Kedarnath shrine. (File Photo/ Getty)

Dehradun: In a major development, Uttarakhand Chief Miniser Trinath Singh Rawat on Friday revoked the former CM Trivendra Singh Rawat government's 'Uttarakhand Char Dham Devasthanam Management Act', freeing as many as 51 temples and shrines including Badrinath, Kedarnath, Yamunotri, and Gangotri from state government control.

Trinath Singh Rawat's decision to free temple and shrines comes hours after his meeting with Vishwa Hindu Parishad's Kendriya Margdarshak Mandal. 

"I have decided to take out of the Devasthanam Board's ambit 51 temples which had been brought under it, said Rawat, adding the government will also review the decision to form it," the newly appointed Uttarakhand CM said. 

"There will be a review on the decision of formation of Char Dham Devasthanam Board. State government's management over 51 prominent temples to be removed," he said. 

The set up during the tenure of former CM, the Devasthanam Board was assigned the administration of 51 temples including the four famous Himalayan shrines of Kedarnath, Badrinath, Gangotri and Yamunotri.

Reacting to the development, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) senior leader Subramanian Swamy lauded the state government's decision saying, ""So before I could argue the SLP I had filed on the Uttarakhand temple take-over issue the Government has withdrawn the Act and freed 51 temples. This is called responsive government in a democracy."