Buddhists demand security for their shrines in the northeast

Buddhists in the northeastern region have demanded proper security for their shrines in the region, home to about 15 lakh Buddhists, a spokesman said here Wednesday.

According to Tripura Bikhu Sangha vice-president Srota Ranjan Khisa, over 15 lakh Buddhists reside in the eight northeastern states, where there are over 5,000 Buddhist temples.

"Buddhists have been organising rallies across the northeast since Monday. They have also sent a memorandum to the president through the respective governors, demanding security for their temples," Khisa told IANS.

Thousands of Buddhists Tuesday organised a big rally in Agartala and submitted a memorandum to Governor Devananda Konwar, addressed to President Pranab Mukherjee, demanding tightening of security at Buddhist shrines across the country.

The rallies are being organised in the northeastern region following the 10 serial blasts that rocked Bodh Gaya's Mahabodhi temple in Bihar early Sunday morning.

Buddhists in Tripura had earlier organised a series of protests against attacks on places of worship and homes of fellow-Buddhists at Ramu, a tribal, Buddhist-dominated village in Chittagong Hill Tracts of southeast Bangladesh last year.