PATNA, May 31 -- In a significant move to safeguard religious properties, the Bihar government has directed circle officers across the state to give top priority to removing encroachments from lands belonging to temples, maths and religious trusts managed by the Bihar state board of religious trust. Revenue and land reforms minister Dilip Kumar Jaiswal announced the formation of a special cell comprising officials from his department, the law department and those from the religious trust board. The cell will monitor encroachment cases, coordinate legal action and ensure swift implementation of tribunal orders. Speaking to HT on Saturday, Jaiswal described the protection of religious institution lands as a top priority for the state government. "Lakhs of acres belonging to maths, temples and trusts have remained under illegal occupation for years. We are now taking comprehensive steps to free them," he said. The announcement followed a high-level meeting chaired by Jaiswal on Friday and attended by law minister Sanjay Singh Tiger, Bihar state board of religious trust chairman Ranveer Nandan, special secretary of law department Vaishnav Shankar Malhotra, revenue secretary Jai Singh and other senior officials including Seema Tripathi. A senior officer of the revenue department said the government has planned to prepare a detailed standard operating procedure for transparent and time-bound action. Officials have been instructed to launch special drives on cases where the religious trust tribunal has already passed orders for eviction. The official said that thousands of acres of prime land attached to various religious institutions - ranging from ancient temples and maths to smaller shrines - have reportedly been usurped through forged documents, political patronage or sheer muscle power. Many institutions have approached civil courts and even the Patna high court seeking restoration of possession, but relief has been slow or non-existent. "Maths and temples did not get their land back for decades despite court orders," said Patna-based advocate Sanjay Kumar, who handled several such cases. "Powerful local interests, sometimes with political backing, have treated these properties as their personal fiefdoms. The government's decision now will be watched closely for its sincerity." The department also intends to update records, digitise land documents of religious trusts and identify disputed properties for priority action. Jaiswal emphasised that any negligence in implementing the drive would not be tolerated. The move has drawn mixed responses from opposition parties. Senior Congress leader Gyan Ranjan criticised the government's priorities. "Instead of resolving long-pending property disputes of common people who have been suffering for years, the government is pushing its own agenda to polarise society on communal lines. Land disputes often lead to violence and murders," he said. RJD chief spokesman Shakti Singh Yadav while welcoming removal of encroachments and restoration of land to genuine religious institutions, expressed suspicion about government's real intentions. "It is welcome if the government removes encroachments and returns possession to the bona fide institutions. But the way this government functions, one fears the sole purpose is to grab these lands and eventually hand them over to moneyed people at token rates," Yadav claimed....