Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Dec 22: Sri Gangaldharendra Theertha Saraswati Swamiji of Sonda Swarnavalli Math has raised his voice against discriminating between people belonging to different religions by saying that he is agreeable to the increase in the minimum age of girls for marriage proposed by the government only if the same is made uniformly applicable to people from all the religions. Giving his opinion here about the proposed amendment, the Swamiji wondered why Hindus are being singled out for harsh treatment.

Speaking to media persons here on Tuesday 21, the Swamiji objected to the proposal of the government to increase the minimum age for marriage of girls to 21. He said he has strong reservations if this rule is made applicable only for Hindus.

The Swamiji pointed out that marriages of Muslims and Christians are ruled by different laws. "In the case of Muslims, a girl who is 15 years of age can marry. But here I understand that the marriageable age of Hindu girls alone is being increased. By doing so, the government plans to impose their restrictions only on Hindus," he noted and asserted that he will support the bill only if the revised norm will be made applicable to all the religions.

The Swamiji noted that the governments at the state and the national level are currently sympathetic towards the Hindus. He however lamented the fact that no proper laws have been framed for the maintenance of Hindu temples. He said that the devotees of the temples should be allowed to manage the temples and the government should make religious centres autonomous. "Muslim religious centres are managed by the Wakf Boards. We demand for a similar entity to be established to manage Hindu temples. Karnataka government has to take a historic decision on this issue and this decision should provide a lead for the other states to follow suit," he opined.