This is outcome of takeover of temples by Govt. In this case, Guruvayur temple has become battleground for political parties. To avoid such situations, Hindus should unite together and compel Govt to give back control of temples to the devotees ! – Editor, Hindujagruti
Thrissur : Guruvayur Devaswom (GD) chairman N Peethambara Kurup on Saturday alleged that the government is blocking several of their vital financial transactions.
The chairman alleged that the government-appointed GD commissioner P Venugopal has directed the body to restrict the spending on even routine requirements of administration like payments of salary and rituals of the temple.
He said the commissioner’s directive would affect functions like maintenance of livestock that includes cows and elephants. The chairman alleged that events like Ashtamirohini celebration and Chembai music festival will have to be held in a name-sake manner in the backdrop of the commissioner’s order.
He said the government has not so far given approval for the GD budget saying that it has projects to be implemented using Rs 350 crore to be collected through donations. The Union government had already given income tax waiver for these donations.The chairman’s statement is likely to deteriorate the already strained the relationship between the LDF government and the GD manag ing committee appointed by the UDF government.
Devaswom minister Kadakampally Surendran had launched a scathing attack on the managing committee for not complying with the government directive on the ‘Prasadam’ project. He even went to the extent of saying that the government was seriously thinking whether there is any need for such a Devaswom committee.
GD commissioner Venugopal denied the allegations and said he had not blocked the expenditure of the devaswom. He said the GD budget was based on projected revenue of about Rs 350 crore.
Source : TOI
The Government should STOP creating a nuisance by messing, interfering & controlling the funds & day-to-day affairs of all Hindu temples over all the country. It should also immediately hand over its control of the temples back to the temples NOW. The day-to-day operations & functions a temple like the famous Guruvayavur temple should NOT be compromised & its spending patterns also should NOT be cut & curtailed according to whims & fancies of the Government or its representatives like Mr.Venugopal or Mr.Kadakpally Surendran. Though the Govt. wants to make use of donations made to the Hindu temples for other activities which are unrelated to the Hindu temples including of funding to other religious activities, it is totally irresponsible, casual, immoral, insensitive, lazy, unaccountable, imprompt & indeligent when the same Hindu temples need to be cared & funded & made financially independent with respect to carrying out their day-to-day activities like maintenance of livestock of the temple in the forms of cows & elephants ; & carrying out routine day-to-day operations like performance of rituals & payment of salaries to its staff. And such immoral, irresponsible, cruel, lazy, casual, insensitive, unaccountable, indeligent & imprompt actions of Government or its representatives towards management of Hindu temples in India CANNOT be tolerated any cost. Thus I urge the Govt. to immediately hand over back its FULL control of temples all over India back to the temple authorities including Trusts, so that temples run more smoothly & nicely without any Govt. interference, NOW.