A day after the Madras High Court upheld an order of the Hindu Religious
and Charitable Endowments department, withdrawing exemptions to the
Viswaroopa Adhivyadhihara Sri Bhaktha Anjaneyaswami Temple in
Nanganallur, the temple was formally taken over by the government.
A hundi was installed inside the temple with a notice stating that as
per a notification of the department, a ‘Fit Person’ (thakkaar) had been
appointed at the temple on Friday. Officials said the temple had
applied and received exemptions from the department under provisions of
HR and CE Act of 1959, soon after it was consecrated in 1995. When the
exemption tenure came to an end some years ago, the temple, managed by a
private trust, appealed for renewal and the department granted it.
However, there were complaints of certain irregularities in the handling
of money that was received from the public.
The officials said that receipts for money received from devotees were
issued in the name of the trust instead of the temple itself. As there
were issues regarding accountability, the department issued notices to
the trust asking why the exemptions should not be withdrawn.
The reply submitted by the trust was not convincing, said officials and
hence the decision to take over the temple. In a couple of days, the
takeover would be complete, the officials added.
Devotees and residents of Ram Nagar in Nanganallur, who volunteer at the
temple, were dismayed at the move. One of the volunteers, a former
government employee, who now helps distribute ‘prasadam’ plates, said
the lives of many people in Ram Nagar revolved around the temple. The
takeover had come as a shock to them, she said.
Source: http://to.ly/mgHE
