SIBLAC Convenor Tseten Tashi Bhutia backs April 26 peace rally for Buddhist custodianship of Bodhgaya Temple
In an appeal addressed to Dharma practitioners and SIBLAC members, Bhutia stated that while he is unable to attend the rally due to health reasons, he stands firmly behind the cause.
LOCAL
Sikkim Bhutia Lepcha Apex Committee (SIBLAC) Convenor and senior tribal leader Tseten Tashi Bhutia has extended his full support to the Peace Rally scheduled on April 26, 2025, at Zero Point, Gangtok. The rally, organized by the All India Buddhist Forum (AIBF), demands the repeal of the Bodhgaya Temple Act of 1949 and calls for the restoration of full Buddhist management of the Mahabodhi Temple.
In an appeal addressed to Dharma practitioners and SIBLAC members, Bhutia stated that while he is unable to attend the rally due to health reasons, he stands firmly behind the cause. “This movement is not against any religion,” he said. “We simply assert that Buddhist temples must be managed by Buddhists, just as other religious sites are managed by their respective faiths.”
Bhutia said that the Mahabodhi Temple, being the global epicentre of Buddhist heritage, deserves rightful custodianship. The AIBF Sikkim Chapter had earlier submitted a memorandum to several national and state leaders, urging action on the issue.