Vijayashree RameshThe state of Tamil Nadu boasts of rich temple heritage, with the largest number of temples, with ancient history and values. With corona grappling our state, the ruling AIADMK Government had directed 47 temples to give Rs.10 crores to the CM Relief Fund. This was done following a controversial order issued by HR & CE, TN, on April 22nd, asking Hindu temples to transfer 10 crores to the CM Relief Fund. This move had come under severe criticism as questions were raised at CM, being, is this Government too prejudiced against Hindus?
The current HR & CE, Principal Secretary, K Panindra Reddy, had directed all officials working under him in 47 big revenue earning temples to contribute Rs.35 lakhs each, the medium and small size temples to contribute Rs. 25 lakhs and 10 lakhs each. This contribution was asked to be made from existing temple funds towards feeding the poor due to joblessness in the lockdown period.
Unlike TN, it’s counterpart in Kerala, CM Pinarayi Vijayan went one step ahead, made the Guruvayur Devaswom Board to transfer Rs. 5 crores from its fixed deposit to CM Relief Fund in the first week of May, which earned criticisms from BJP, all Hindu Outfits, and controversies too. In TN, the stir created by the Hindu Organizations, BJP, saw that the GO was withdrawn when the matter hit the High Court.
The similarity in these two cases were, money asked as contributions to the CM Relief Fund as a part of the social responsibility, only from temples. Is there a hard and fast rule, that Hindu temples only should make contributions for national disasters like corona, floods? If money can be taken from Guruvayur temple, other temples, as a matter of right, then why cannot money be asked from INFANT JESUS churches, churches in general, WAKF BOARD.
“As per section 27, of the Guruvayur Devaswom Act, the main deity Sree Krishna is a Minor and the owner of all property and income. The income from the said property should be used only for temple purposes. There is still a case pending at Kerala High Court for this Devaswom’s contribution to CMDRF for Kerala floods in 2018”.
This aside, the HR & CE, in Tamil Nadu, are running the temple administration and their assets. With the advent of DMK to power in 1960, this scenario of temple administration drastically changed. With scant regard to Hindu Religion, they failed to give serious attention to the temple administration and to the sentiments of the majority Hindu population. The saddest state of affairs is, officials in this department have become most corrupt, dishonest to the point of committing blasphemy by indirectly stealing temple money.
While both the Dravidian parties to power, one following the other, the facts that have never changed are, corruption, mismanagement of temples, and its properties too. Why this HR & CE? There was a scenario of alleged mismanagement of funds and property of temples by trustees, traditional priests, to streamline administrative procedures, to preserve temple property and wealth, because of this the State Government took over the temples.
It is very important to note, that both Churches and Mosques are being managed by Private trustees, Boards, where, the state Government has no say in the matter in running the day to day affairs. That being said are the State Governments blemish-free, especially HR & CE, No. Managing acres and acres of temple lands and getting income from them, accounting them, spending them for day to day running of the temple is a sacred, pious, matter.
In the garb of temple repair and renovation, all the ancient old pillars and artifacts are being replaced. The temple pathway, mandapams are let out for small timers. Irregularities in leasing-out temple lands, Non-Receipts of land rents, Mindless destruction of historical heritage, sub-standard contract work, no proper accounts being maintained for use of temple funds, Misuse of temple properties and making them as a source to make illegal or unaccounted money, temples making losses finding it difficult to maintain and buy the most essential items for the temples, loss in regular temple income, Misuse of temple donations made, free wedding using temple funds, recipients of temple funds being Non-Hindus.
With no forethought about saving our Hindu Temples, with no immediate solutions for the future in sight, our HR & CE Minister, Sevvoor S. Ramachandran, has been gifted with four cars, all loaded Innova, two cars from Thirverkaadu Temple, near Chennai, One from Kabaleeshwarar Temple in Mylapore, and one from Arunachaleshwarar temple from Thiruvannamalai. Why a Minister should be gifted cars from the temple funds? Temple funds are for managing the day to day affairs of the temple not for buying cars for the Minister who is heading it.
Likewise, the Commissioner, HR & CE, was gifted a car by the Mangaadu temple, when the issue became too controversial the Commissioner paid the price of the car, to the temple. Why does the Minister or Commissioner get gifted, when they are eligible for cars and other perks for just being in that position? This definitely goes to show the corrupt, assumption of temple and temple properties as their own, behavior of theirs.
It shows the level of corruption that exists in the HR & CE, the managing of day to day affairs, the passing of tenders, the quotations for repairs and renewals of temples, appointment of EO’s are done by appointing existing Government’s known people. The appointment of Non-Hindus into a Hindu Department has become very rampant. These will only result in looting and plundering of our temples, its properties, reminding us of the Mughal and British Raj, where they left off. The irony is that we have a department that is doing it systematically.
The Government will have its iron grip on Temples and its properties, because they are still money-spinners, despite the fact, rentals collected from temple lands being very minimal, it is seen as a rich source of ill-gotten, unaccountable money. Very many Hindu organizations are fighting tooth and nail to get the temples freed from the Government. The current trend being temple properties being on sale for running the temple, or for coughing up temple funds, for CMDRF.
Unless we regulate the system in HR & CE, by minimizing the Government’s participation, interference, we cannot make headway in finding a solution to make them incorruptible department. We have to bring transparency in the working system of the HR & CE, relating to temples funds, accountability of money collected as rents, disbursal of funds, maintenance, repairs, and renovations. A strict rule should be laid down as to the appointment of only Hindus, in the department, who are recruited after going through a test on Hindu Religion and activities. Unless and until we overhaul the working pattern in the immediate future, Hindu temples and its properties will be long-forgotten history.