The City of Frisco has allowed two new Hindu developments to proceed despite objections from local residents and one citizen who sounded the alarm that one temple has ties to the Indian government.
Last month, Frisco City Council members heard public comments on an agenda item involving land-use approvals for a mosque, a Hindu temple, and a Jain temple, which would serve followers of Jainism, an ancient Indian religion.
During public comments, resident Marc Palasciano, told council members that one of the proposed temples is connected to an individual affiliated with India’s ruling political party.
The Jain temple is being funded by a nonprofit organization led by Rohit Gangwal, who serves as India’s foreign affairs asset for the Bharatiya Janata Party, according to Palasciano. Gangwal also serves as president of the Jain Society of North Texas.
Further, the Jane Society of North Texas is also the owner of the proposed temple off of Lebanon Road in Frisco.
“The Bharatiya Janata Party is registered as a foreign agent in the United States,” Palasciano said. “So to clarify, the foreign affairs asset for a foreign agent in the United States is the president of the nonprofit funding the new Jane Indian temple here in Frisco.”
The Hindu temple, planned near FM 423 & Lone Star Ranch Parkway, is being funded and developed by Madesh Dara and the nonprofit Gita Mandir, where Dara serves as the vice president.
According to Palasciano’s research, Dara has multiple businesses registered to his home address. It was also revealed that Dara’s companies, MoonITSolutions and Bluestar IT Solutions, both have connections to the H-1B visa program.
MoonITSolutions has received multiple H-1B visa approvals, but the listed addresses are associated with Dara’s other companies. When Palasciano attempted to visit some of the addresses, he found no active business operations and one address led him to a residential neighborhood.
Following public comments, which lasted into the early morning hours, the Frisco City Council took no action on the three planned developments. Frisco Mayor Jeff Cheney said that the council had no legal basis to block the religious projects.
“I haven’t heard a legal, entitled way – based on talking to our attorneys – to appeal,” Cheney said in closing remarks following the marathon of a public comment session. “So Council, if there’s no other questions, there’ll be no further action for us to take.”
Due to no action being taken by council members, the mosque, Hindu temple, and Jain temple will continue through the city’s remaining approval and zoning processes.
