Hindus in Delhi protest Indian priests’ removal

A number of people in New Delhi staged a protest at the Embassy of Nepal on Sunday to protest the removal of the Indian priests from the famous Pashupatinath temple. Agitated protestors shouted slogans against the Nepalese PM Pushpa Kamal Dahal. An effigy of his was also burnt.

Protesters accused the Nepalese government of hurting Hindu sentiments by appointing Nepalese national as priest at the ancient temple. “By staging this protest, we want to send a message to the Nepalese Government through the Nepalese Embassy said ‘this is an attempt to hurt our culture and hurt the religious sentiments of the Hindus in India. Pashupatinath Temple is visited by hundreds of Hindus from across the globe every year.

For centuries the chief priest of the Pashupatinath Temple was appointed by temple authorities with approval of the king of Nepal from high caste Hindus from neighbouring India. Daily worship and religious functions at the centuries-old Pashupatinath Temple have been disrupted since last week amidst protests.

Rajnath calls Prachanda
Bharatiya Janata Party chief Rajnath Singh on Saturday conveyed to Nepal PM Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ and president Ram Baran Yadav his party’s concern over the replacement of Indian priests at the Pashupatinath temple.

Singh said the two leaders had assured him that they would look into the issue and take steps to resolve the problem. He had conveyed to them the concern in India as Pashupatinath is a holy shrine visited by thousands of Indians.