Himachal Govt. to take over Karmapa monastery

DHARAMSALA - Himachal Pradesh Government has decided to takeover the Gyuto Tantrik Monastery of the Karmapa Lama in Dharamsala and has declared it as unnamed land.

Speaking to mediapersons, Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal said that strict action would be taken in the unnamed deals that have taken place.

“Himachal Pradesh government has not named Karmapa Lama, who is a religious guru, as a culprit and has not uttered a single word against him. We have said it very clearly that if someone brought illegal money or will do unnamed deals, buy lands then action will be taken against that person, whether it includes anyone’s temple, church or mosque,” said Dhumal.

Dhumal also mentioned that he has written letters to the leaders of opposition parties in the state, asking them to bring cases of illegal transactions in light, which they often talked about.

Naresh Kumar, a Revenue Administration Officer said that there was no name of Gyuto Monastery in revenue records and it has been declared unnamed.

” We have checked who is the actual owner and who is living there at present. We have already seen it and it is decided. Only the process of its overtaking by the government is on,” said Kumar.

On January 27, the police had raided the Gyuto Tantric Monastery in Dharamsala, and recovered currencies of at least 25 countries worth over rupees 60 million.

Media reports said security agencies apprehended that the Karmapa Lama is a part of a plan of the Chinese to control Buddhist monasteries, from Ladakh in Jammu and Kashmir, to Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh.

The police have detained Gompo Tsering, the personal secretary of Lama, and arrested Rabjaychojan, also known as Shakti Lama, a close aide of Karmapa Lama and the monastery’s treasurer. (ANI)