Mismanagement of temples

A report prepared by subcommittee of the National Assembly's Standing Committee on Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony has finalised its report on the state of mandirs and gurdwaras managed by the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), making several demands and recommendations that amount to an indictment of the manner the board runs its affairs. It has asked the ETPB for district-wise details of properties left behind by Hindus and Sikhs, functional and non-functional temples and shrines as well as details of funds collected during the last three years. The committee also wants to see the list of individuals who have performed Hajj at the expense of the ETPB, chiding its management for using earnings (from attached properties) for investments in banks rather than for the upkeep of these places of worship and welfare of the communities concerned. It is hard to believe that those running the ETPB could think it fair to perform Hajj with the money belonging to minority communities. Evidently, they have no clear mission statement to follow.
It is important to remember that the ETPB came into being because of large-scale migration of Hindus and Sikhs to India at the time of the Partition. In those early chaotic days, it made sense for a government body to manage the affairs of these places. But there is no justification for that nearly seven decades later. That responsibility belongs to the local people of those faiths. There is much they would want to do. The report notes that there are as many as 1,809 Sikh and Hindu temples and shrines in need of attention. Many of them are visited every year by a large number of pilgrims from India and other countries. The existing facilities are a lot less than sufficient to accommodate these people. At least 200 rooms need to be constructed at the birthplace of the founder of Sikhism, Gurdwara Janamasthan at Nankana Sahib; and 150 rooms at Gurdwara Punja Sahib in Hassanabdal. The historic and much revered Katas Raj Hindu Temples complex in the Chakwal district that goes back to the Mahabharata days, requires a good deal of repair and restoration work. And according to the NA committee, in Sindh, where the largest Hindus live, the ETPB has failed to provide temples with necessary facilities.
It is about time the affairs of these places of worship are streamlined. Common sense suggests that the active temples, regularly visited by the local people, should be run by those people themselves. They ought to be allowed to choose members for their respective administrative bodies, which should receive rent from mandir/gurdwara properties as well as contributions made by devotees to spend on the maintenance of these temples and for whatever else they may deem necessary. As for the special sites, they should be looked after by either a rejuvenated and smaller ETPB or a new body. In either case, it would inspire confidence if, as recommended by the NA committee, its head is appointed from a minority community.