Gadchiroli March 13 (District Correspondent) Well known tribal activist and founder president of Veer Baburao Prabodhan Samiti Vasant Kulsange observed a day long fast on Thursday at Indira Gandhi square of the city to press the demand of handing over Bodh Gaya Mahavihar to the Buddhists.
Before launching his fast, Mr. Kulsange garlanded the portrait of Lord Buddha, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar and Veer Baburao Shedmake to mark the birth anniversary of the great tribal hero.
Mr. Kulsange observed fast from 10 am to 5 pm. This fast evoked tremendous response as many Buddhist activists and workers from different organizations also visited the fast site and extended their support to this fast agitation.
This is perhaps the first incident wherein a non-Buddhist man observed fast for raising the demand of the Buddhist shrine, which attracted attention of the people.
It is not only grave injustice with the Buddhists but a purely unconstitutional thing that a a religious place of a particular faith is not restored to that community, said Mr. Kulsange while speaking on the occasion. I felt the act very much wrong hence I observed this fast, he added.
The fast was withdrawn in the evening by offering lemon juice to Mr. Kulsange at the hands of API Meshram of Gadchiroli Police Station.
Mr. Kulsange along with office bearers of various other organizations then submitted a written memorandum to the district Collector addressed to the President of India, Prime Minister of India and Chief Minister of Bihar in the evening demanding immediate handing over the Bodh Gaya Mahavihara to the Buddhists.
Those who visited the fast pandal and extended their support to the demand were Mr. Tularam Raut, district chief, Prof. Gautam Dange, district secretary of the Bouddha Mahasabha, Gautam Meshram, district coordinator of Sanvidhan Foundation, Pradeep Bhaisare, Siddharth Khobragade of Republican Party, Bhashkar Meshram, Sudhir Walde of BSP, Munishwar Borkar of PRP.
Various other prominent workers including Mr. Bhojraj Kanhekar of Bahujan Mukti Party, Balkrishna Bambode, N. M. Wankar of BSI, Sukhdev Wasnik, Gautam Durge of Panchasheel Buddha Vihar, Amarkumar Khandare, Shantilal Lade of Prabuddha Vihar committee, Pramod Raut of Buddhist Network, Dnyanodaya Walke of Buddhist Society, Bhimrao Shende, Lahuji Ramteke, Ramdas Tiple, Madhukar Bhagat, social social workers, Sumitra Raut, Archana Bhaisare of Vishakha Mahila Mandal, Ms. Pornima Kulsange, Jyoti Urade, Najrika Mashakhetri, Sheetal Bhaisare, Yashodhara Jambhulkar, Kavita Vaidya, and others.
