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THE PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS.
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the said committee and observe how much difference there is in improvement concerning the temples between the time of the nonexistence of the committee and present one. We are impelled to praise the work of the committee when we make comparison between the present and past status. There are many complaints still in regard to the management of many temples but we cannot blame the committee for this defect. The blame can be put at the door of the honorary workers of those temples who do not abide by the rules of the committee and work acco ding to their own whims and wishes and do not pay heed to the real management of the affairs. It is not the work of the committee to compel those workers to abide by the rules of the committee and work according to the directions. Then only the management of the temple can be done satisfactorily.
Now I am going to speak to you about the quarrels concerning the sacred places. Everyone knows something about these quarrels. Unless the foundation of these quarrels is known we cannot think over these matters. I want to bring to light the real cause of these quarrels. The disputes at sacred places are acclaimed to have belonged to one party alone. The Digambaras say that these temples are consecrated to their Thirthankaras and are for religious purposes and all the Jains are worshipping them. One party cannot have claim over them. Both parties have equal claim. That is the reason why the suit regarding the Sammed Sikhar Hill is still pending. Once it was decided that the temples belonged to both the parties. But our Svetambar brothers do not pay any heed to these things but go contrary to this fact. The Svetambaras have filed suits regarding two other sacred places namely Sri Rajagriha and Sri Anthareeksh Parswanath and are fighting for sole rights. In all these suits we have been always defendants because it was necessary for us to defend our rights.
Some of our learned brethren suggest that instead of car yirg our disputes to the law courts, we might settle them among ourselves. In addition to respecting the words of these gentlemen, we tried not once but several times, to come to an amicable settlement with our Swetambar brethren. But it is to be said with grea Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
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