KATHMANDU, Sept 4: Tamu Bauddha Sewa Samiti in  Devinagar, Kathmandu Metropolitan City-10 has requested the Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) not to destroy a monastery.

Although the committee has ordered not to demolish the monastery until further orders from the Patan High Court, KMC has given an ultimatum to remove it as it was built on public land. The Kathmandu Valley Monastery Tamu Bauddha Sewa Samiti issued a press release today asking KMC to protect the monastery as it is the center of Buddhist faith.

In a statement signed by the chairman of the committee, Tikaram Gurung, it is said, “On 4 June, 2009, Tamu Bauddha Sewa Samiti was operating by registering as per Buddhist Philosophy Promotion and Monastery Development Committee under the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation with the aim of imparting knowledge and sermons of Buddhism by the Gurung community who have faith in Buddhism.

It is said that the monastery was built as per the design of the ward office after verifying the land on the recommendation of the ward office for establishing the monastery. Also, the budget was allocated from the then ward office and support was provided for the construction of the monastery building, according to the statement.

In the statement, it is said, “We inform you that financial support has been collected from various organizations including the Ministry of Tourism, Urban Development and Building Department, Kathmandu District Coordination Committee, Buddhist Philosophy Promotion and Monastery Development Committee, Parliamentary Development Fund, along with hundreds of people of Buddhist faith in the construction of the monastery.”

It is stated in the statement that some time ago, KMC was working to demolish the monastery by issuing a public notice ignoring religion, culture and society. The committee says that the metropolis should protect religion and culture, but it is not good to destroy it.

Reminding that not only in Kathmandu but also all over the country, centers of religious faith such as temples, monasteries, chaityas, mosques, churches are built on public land, the committee has also asked the metropolis to bring them under its control and protect those monasteries.

On July 19, when the metropolis tried to demolish the structure in Devinagar by operating a dozer, the Patan High Court issued an order not to demolish the monastery immediately, but the metropolis disobeyed it.

 
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