A controversial statement reportedly made about Badrinath by a Maulana from Darul Uloom Niswan in Deoband a couple of days ago is being strongly condemned by members of the religious fraternity and the local MlA here.
According to sources, members of the Uttarakhand Raksha Abhiyan had recently staged a demonstration in Badrinath and addressed the media in Joshimath. Darshan Bharti of the Uttarakhand Raksha Abhiyan had stated that the protest was staged after it was reported that some members of a ‘minority’ community wanting to procure land in Badrinath had met the official concerned there.
He had also stressed that no mosque or madarsa should be constructed in the temple township of Badrinath. Reportedly in response to this, Maulana Abdul latif had claimed that Badrinath was originally Badruddin Shah, a place said to holy for Muslims.
The Purohits in Badrinath strongly objected to this statement. One of the Purohits, Rishi Prasad Sati said that Badrinath is a centre of religious belief and worship for countless Hindus across the world and all are welcome to visit here with faith and veneration.
However, Badrinath had been established by Adi Shankaracharya and it is totally wrong to say that it is Badruddin Shah, he added. The Badrinath MlA Mahendra Bhatt also dismissed the statement made by the Maulana, stating that it was baseless.
