The Gaya police on Saturday night arrested 13 monks who were on a fast-unto-death since Thursday in Bodh Gaya.
Gaya District Superintendent of Police Ravindran Shankaran said the monks were arrested on charges of attempting suicide and creating a disturbance on the eve of the Kalchakra festival.
The monks are demanding the immediate expulsion of Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama and the 17th Karmapa from India, ban on footwear in the premises of the Mahabodhi temple, postponement of the Kalchakra festival and amendments to the Bodh Gaya Temple Management Committee Act, 1949, which they termed as a 'black law' for Buddhists.
Indian monks are unhappy with the Dalai Lama for not supporting them over the issue of management control of the Mahabodhi temple, which stands near the spot where the Buddha is believed to have attained enlightenment 2,500 years ago, sources said.
As far as the Karmapa is concerned, to years ago, he had hurt the sentiments of millions of Buddhists across the world by entering the Mahabodhi temple wearing his shoes, All India Monks Association general secretary Bhante Anand claimed.
The monks had threatened to immolate themselves if the Dalai Lama did not discuss their demands before initiating the Kalchakra festival, one of the most sacred rituals for Tibetan Buddhists, which began on Sunday amid tight security.
Anand also said that neither the Dalai Lama nor the Karmapa had protested against the destruction of massive stone images of the Buddha in Afghanistan's Bamiyan province by the Taliban despite an international outcry.
Anand said the monks were arrested at the instance of the Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Laloo Prasad Yadav, who 'is hell bent on suppressing our genuine protest to safeguard the interests of the Dalai Lama and the Karmapa'.
"The monks will continue the protest till their demands are fulfilled and the monks outside too will join them soon," Anand said.
