Patna: National Commission for Minorities (NCM) member Sulekha Kumbhare is peeved at the poor arrangements for devotees in Bodhgaya on Buddha Purnima celebrated recently and has sought explanations from the Gaya district magistrate and Magadh range deputy inspector-general (DIG).
Sulekha was on tour of Bodhgaya from April 26 to 29 to preside over International Buddhist Peace Conference in which representatives of various Buddhist countries as well as people from different parts of the country participated.
She inspected arrangements at the Kalchakra Maidan, where a large number of people were staying on the last day of her visit. Lakhs of devotees from different parts of the globe throng Bodhgaya on Buddha Purnima - the day Gautam Buddha was born. This year it fell on April 30.
"I was going to the airport on the last day of my visit, when I decided to visit the tents and camps at Kalchakra Maidan. I was appalled by the glaring deficiencies in the arrangements there. No drinking water was available for the devotees despite it being a hot day. Similarly no arrangement for food was there. There were no CCTV cameras or public address system. People were really suffering," Sulekha told The Telegraph over phone from Nagpur, her native place.
As devotees complained to her that they were staying there for three days with no proper facilities for water and food, she telephoned Magadh range DIG Vinay Kumar and district magistrate Abhishek Singh to point out the poor arrangements.
"Bodhgaya is an international pilgrimage destination. I have sought explanations from the DM and DIG over lack of arrangements there due to which devotees, who had come to celebrate Buddha Purnima, had to face immense hardships for around four days. I have asked the two officials to submit their explanations within five days," Sulekha said.
Unnerved at the sudden inspection, the district administration swung into action and quickly made arrangements for drinking water. It also sent photographs regarding this to Sulekha to show that improvements have been made.
Asked about this, the Gaya DM said: "I had no talk with her (Sulekha Kumbhare) over telephone or otherwise. She looked satisfied over the arrangements and appreciated them. A group of Buddhist monks that had come from Nagpur also praised the arrangements."
Abhishek added that he has not received anything in writing from the NCM member. However, her suggestions about security arrangements were being considered.
On the other hand, the Magadh range DIG said Sulekha had telephoned him on the day she was going from Bodhgaya.
"CCTV cameras are there, but scope for improvement is there. There are around 80 CCTV cameras installed by the Bodhgaya Temple Management Committee (BTMC) and Zilla Parishad. Security audit of the places have been completed. We have placed requisition for better, upgraded version of CCTV cameras and places where they will be installed, have been identified," Vinay said.
On the other hand, the International Buddhist Peace Conference has passed several resolutions for betterment of Bodhgaya.
