MUMBAI, June 7 -- Following strong objections from temple trusts and right-wing outfits, the Maharashtra government has decided to withdraw the draft of the Devasthan Inams Abolition Act, 2026, a bill that was to grant ownership rights to eligible occupants of land owned by temple trusts and clear illegal encroachments. The state revenue department has now decided to constitute a high-level committee with representatives of temple trusts on it. The new committee, comprising the additional chief secretary (revenue), two divisional commissioners, two district collectors, three deputy secretaries and 15 representatives from temple trusts, will review the existing draft, conduct hearings of those who filed objections, and prepare a fresh draft legislation on which suggestions and objections will again be sought before being finally approved. The proposed legislation was expected to help free nearly 5,50,000 hectares of land across the state. Hindustan Times had reported in detail on the draft bill on May 11. State revenue minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule said the government's objective was to free temple lands from encroachments and restore the properties to the respective temple trusts. "Some temple trusts appear to have misunderstood the provisions of the draft bill and hence we took a decision to scrap it," he said. The draft bill of the Devasthan Inams Abolition Act, 2026 was published on May 6, with a month-long window for suggestions and objections from citizens. The state government received responses from several temple trusts, which vehemently opposed the bill. Bawankule said the government was "committed to addressing their concerns and clarifying any doubts". "There have been large-scale encroachments on temple lands, and temples trusts have found it difficult to remove these encroachments on their own," he said. "To address this issue, we had proposed a bill on the lines of the Wakf Act, under which the government would have facilitated the removal of encroachments and helped recover the land parcels. At the same time, the rights of the tenants legally staying on those lands would have been safeguarded." Sunil Ghanwat, organiser of the Maharashtra Mandir Mahasangh, an umbrella organisation of temple trusts, said the government's decision to roll back the bill was a "major victory for the collective struggle and efforts of all temple trustees and Hindu organisations". "Other initiatives of the draft bill such as restoring the Inam Devasthan land back to the temples, removing encroachments, and seeking advice from renowned lawyers are very welcome," he added....