The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) has filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Calcutta High Court challenging the West Bengal government's decision to designate the newly constructed Jagannath temple in Digha as 'Jagannath Dham'. The PIL was admitted by a division bench of Justices Soumen Sen and Smita Das, and a hearing is expected later this week.
The VHP argues that the term 'dham' holds significant spiritual and historical importance, traditionally reserved for the four ancient 'dhams' – Badrinath, Dwarka, Rameswaram, and Puri. These sites are deeply embedded in Hindu theology and have been revered for centuries. The VHP contends that West Bengal's decision to label the Digha shrine as a 'dham' is an arbitrary and unconstitutional act that distorts religious heritage and infringes upon the rights guaranteed under Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution. These articles protect the freedom of religion and the right of religious denominations to manage their own affairs. The VHP asserts that such actions amount to direct interference in religious matters, violating the doctrine of secularism.
The VHP's petition centers on the religious significance historically associated with the word 'Dham', which in Hindu tradition refers exclusively to the four sacred pilgrimage sites. The VHP contends that granting the same nomenclature to the Digha temple amounts to religious misrepresentation and could dilute the sanctity of the original Char Dhams, particularly the centuries-old Shree Jagannath Dham at Puri.
In its submission, the VHP has also raised concerns over religious purity. It alleged that a portion of the 'Prasad' distributed at the Digha shrine was prepared in sweet shops owned by non-Hindus, which the group claims has offended Hindu sentiments. They argue that sweets procured from local shops are being passed off as consecrated offerings. This, they argue, trivializes the ritual purity of prasad and causes confusion and offense among devotees.
Earlier, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Puri scion Gajapati Dibyasingha Deb, and Sankaracharya Nischalananda Saraswati had spoken against the naming of the Digha shrine as 'Jagannath Dham'. BJP leaders, including Amit Malviya, have also accused Mamata Banerjee of disrespecting Hindu sentiments.
This legal challenge follows another PIL filed earlier in May by advocate Koustav Bagchi, questioning the financial and legal basis of the Digha temple. That petition challenged the use of public funds for a religious complex in a secular democracy, alleging that what was initially described in tenders as a Sanskriti Kendra had morphed into a fully functioning temple. The latest litigation has further intensified the controversy surrounding the temple's nomenclature, management, and constitutional propriety in a secular framework.
