Another temple is razed to the ground in TN even as devotees cry their heart out

A Ganesha temple in TN temple has been demolished as it reportedly encroached government land. Devotees and Hindu organisations staged a protest against the demolition. Yet the heart wrenching cries of the devotees were muffled by the roar of the earth mover as the temple was pulled down.

The Ganesha temple in Ayan Peraiyur near Veppanthattai in Perambalur was reportedly encroaching land belonging to the State Highways Department. Some people complained that it obstructs the traffic. Following this, the Highways Department’s Assistant Engineer had issued a notice to the temple trustee. The trustee went to court to challenge it. But the court said that it cannot stay the process and ordered the officials to demolish the temple in 15 days.

When officials came to demolish the temple devotees protested and requested them to not demolish the temple. A heart wrenching scene ensued as the earth mover tore apart the temple. Women devotees cried inconsolably narrating how they built the temple brick by brick like bearing a baby for 10 months. One devotee said that looking at the scene she felt that it was like killing an infant and that both are the same.

*#TempleDemolition*
"கோயிலை இடிப்பதும் எங்கள் குழந்தைகளை கொல்வதும் ஒன்று"
கண்ணீர் விட்டு கதறிய பொதுமக்கள்

பெரம்பலூர் மாவட்டம் அயன் பேரையூர் கிராமத்தில் விநாயகர் கோயில் இடிப்பு

@VHPDigital pic.twitter.com/nKEhDE6Si1

— Sevak Sathya (@Sevakofmata) February 23, 2022

Recollecting how they toiled to build the temple, the women devotees asked the officials “Do you have a conscience?”. They begged for a week’s time to reverse the decision through legal process or relocate the temple. However officials went ahead with the process and razed the temple to ground.

The Tamil Nadu government has a policy on Removal/ Regularisation/ Relocation of Encroachments on Public Land by Way of Temple/ Church/ Mosque/ Gurudwara, etc. But so far only temples have been demolished with a rare exception of one or two churches even though other religious places of worship also encroach government land. Hindu Munnani has filed a petition in Madras High Court seeking direction on the DMK government’s discriminatory actions in demolishing temples. Advocate Sai Deepak who appeared for the petitioner sought the submission of the police guidelines followed by the government in demolishing unauthorised religious structures.

Source : Hindu Post