Stay sought on opening of Patna’s Buddha park

PATNA - A petitioner moved the Patna High Court Tuesday seeking a stay on the inauguration of the Buddha Smriti Park here May 27 by Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama.

The public interest litigation (PIL) filed by an advocate seeks a stay on the Bihar government’s inauguration plan on the ground that the park promotes a particular religion in violation of the constitution.

Petitioner Shruti Singh has made the state government and the Dalai Lama party in the case.

Singh said the plea was filed on the basis that India is a secular state and the Bihar government has no right to promote a particular religion by constructing a park in the name of Buddha.

“A secular state cannot violate the constitution by providing land for a park dedicated to a particular religion,” she told IANS.

She said that the court is likely to take up the matter next Monday or Tuesday.

Official sources in the state government said that the park’s inauguration will be a gala international event attended by delegations from at least four predominantly Buddhist countries.

Delegations from Sri Lanka, Burma, Japan and Thailand will attend the prayer ceremony during the inaugural function to be presided over by the Dalai Lama May 27, sources said.

The park is located near the Patna railway junction and is spread over 20 acres of prime land located in the heart of the city. The project’s cost is estimated to be more than Rs.125 crore.