Uttarakhand: What is Chardham Devasthanam Board, why former CM Trivendra Singh Rawat had to face opposition in Kedarnath

Former Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat, who arrived on Monday to visit Shri Kedarnath Dham in Uttarakhand, had to face heavy opposition from the pilgrimage priests. The pilgrim-priests protested against him for about two hours and showed black flags. According to media reports, as soon as Trivendra Rawat landed on the helipad, the crowd of priests started raising slogans of 'go back, go back.

Seeing the priests angry, Rawat turned back with folded hands. Due to opposition, Rawat could not see Baba and was forced to return. On the other hand, when BJP President Madan Kaushik and Cabinet Minister Dhan Singh Rawat assured the pilgrim priests that the government was with them and their demands were being considered, they got approval for the darshan.

Why Trivendra Singh Rawat was opposed

The Devasthanam Board was formed by the Uttarakhand government for the arrangement and management of the Chardham Yatra, which the pilgrim priests have been opposing since the beginning. They are very angry about this board and are demanding its dissolution. Devbhoomi Teerth Purohit Hakhakukdhari Mahapanchayat had alleged that under pressure from the Center, the government was avoiding reconsidering the Chardham Devasthanam Board.

Due to not taking a concrete decision on the Devasthanam board, there is displeasure among the pilgrimage priests and right-holders of Chardham. The Teerth Purohit has also held a Mahapanchayat demanding the dissolution of the board. The priests believe that Trivendra is responsible for the Devasthanam Board because it was during his tenure that the Devasthanam Board was formed.