Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA) has expressed solidarity with the hundreds of Buddhist monks and followers who launched an indefinite relay hunger strike on February 12, demanding the transfer of the Mahabodhi Mahavihara Temple’s management to the Buddhist community.

Addressing a press conference on February 23, the LBA reiterated its demand to repeal the Bodh Gaya Temple Act of 1949. The Act established a nine-member Bodhgaya Temple Management Committee (BTMC) to oversee the temple’s administration, but only four members are Buddhists, while the remaining five, including the chairman (the District Magistrate), are Hindus.

LBA President Cherring Dorjey Lakruk criticized the current arrangement, stating that placing the temple under a Hindu-majority committee is unjust and deprives Buddhists of their right to manage their holiest site, where Gautama Buddha attained enlightenment.

“The All India Buddhist Forum, led by Akash Lama, along with its supporters and volunteers from Ladakh, has been on a hunger strike for the past 13-14 days, demanding Buddhist ownership of the temple and the repeal of the Bodh Gaya Temple Act,” he said.

The LBA President further announced that its members are also participating in the hunger strike in Bodh Gaya. Additionally, in solidarity with the protestors there, Ladakh will continue the hunger strike after Dosmochey. 

Jigmet Raftan, President of the LBA Youth Wing, emphasized that the demand for Buddhist control of the temple has been longstanding, and the All India Buddhist Forum has consistently raised awareness about the issue across the country.

The Mahabodhi Temple holds immense significance for Buddhists worldwide, making it crucial that its management be entrusted to the Buddhist community. However, under the Bodh Gaya Temple Act of 1949, the committee's chairman is the District Magistrate (a Hindu), further underscoring the urgent need for the Act’s repeal and re-enactment to ensure Buddhist oversight.

The protest has garnered support from several Buddhist organizations across India, including the Buddhist Society of India, as well as international Buddhist associations from Sri Lanka, Thailand, Japan, and Mongolia. However, the government has yet to take concrete steps to address the issue.