On 3rd October PM Modi while addressing a rally in Telangana’s Nizamabad remarked that the state government had captured the temples and that the temples were being looted through a conspiracy involving governments.
“In the south, especially in Tamil Nadu, the state government has control of temples. The state government has captured temples. The temples are being looted through a conspiracy involving governments. Temples are being looted. Temples are being captured. But they will not touch the worship places of minorities. They don’t bring them under government control,” he was quoted as saying.
▪Speaking at a rally in Telangana, PM Modi said that temples in southern India especially in Tamil Nadu have been captured by governments and their properties being looted.
— Swarajya (@SwarajyaMag) October 4, 2023
▪He asked if the Congress would give back Hindus rights over these temples.https://t.co/7ACTCFvoUi
Slamming the state government for targeting the Hindu temples, PM Modi further said that the allies of the Congress party would never seize the place of worship of minorities. Refuting the factual statements made by the Prime Minister, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Friday (6th October) stated that the Prime Minister was speaking a lie.
Stalin said, “What is the need to create such a lie to depict as though after DMK came to power, we have taken control of the temple and misused the temple revenue? For whom is he speaking in such a manner? Whose voice is he reflecting?”
Chennai | Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin says, "…PM Modi said the DMK government seized and occupied the Hindu temples in Tamil Nadu. Temple properties and incomes are being misused has been publicly spoken by PM Modi – I categorically deny these allegations…"
— ANI (@ANI) October 5, 2023
(Source: Tamil Nadu… pic.twitter.com/WoCiumtPiu
“The flaw is with the Prime Minister, and as far as the DMK regime is concerned, its regime is committed to the common good and the goal of ‘everything for everyone’,” he added. Further, the CM claimed that his government has scheduled rehabilitation work for 5,078 temples for the current fiscal year, including 1,250 shrines in areas inhabited by Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and 1,250 village temples.
While Stalin did not name anyone, he did criticize those “who seek to exploit spiritualism for political gain.” He claimed that the people of Tamil Nadu could see the difference between politics and spirituality and that these approaches would not succeed in the state. However, given the policies of the Tamil Nadu state with regard to Temples, one would imagine that Stalin was perhaps talking about himself when he commented on exploiting spiritualism for political gain.
Condition of temples under the TN government
With such mystifying statements coming from the state CM, it becomes important to note that the condition of Hindu temples in the state of Tamil Nadu has been terrifying with it facing deliberate attacks and zero protection being provided to it during such times by the state. In 2021, the rock-cut mountain temples on top of Aththri Hills in Alvarkurichi in Tirunelveli district were vandalized by the Islamists. Further Islamic symbols like a crescent moon, number 786, and also ‘Allah’ were written on the sacred rocks. Reportedly, the HR&CE Department of Hindu Religious Affairs is responsible for managing the administration of the Arulmigu Anusuyadevi Sameda Aththri Parameswar temple and Gorakkar temple on Aththri Hill in Tirunelveli.
Also, in the same year the deities of a Hindu temple in Ranipet, Tamil Nadu, were found to be desecrated by miscreants. The idols of Goddesses Amman and Durga were found to be disrobed by the unknown miscreants, with semen ejaculated on the deities.
The HR&CE Department reportedly has failed to protect the Hindu temples and their dignity despite repeated attacks reported. At times the HRCE official has also denied visiting the Hindu temple post-attack saying that they have other jobs to do.
The Tamil Nadu government’s Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) department has been time and again accused of interfering with the administration and taking over Hindu temple land in the state.
In a recent case, on June 27, Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) department official Velvizhi, accompanied by two female police personnel, entered the Kanagasabai amidst resistance from Dikshithars and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supporters. The development came days after a controversy erupted claiming Pothu Dikshitars of Chidambaram Natarajar temple declined permission to devotees to offer prayers from Kanagasabai during the Aani Thirumanjanam festival.
In March, T R Ramesh, an activist based in Tamil Nadu alleged that over Rs 400 crores had been missing from the Samayapuram Mariamman Temple fund. The activist filed an RTI requesting a 5-year income and expenditure statement of the Temple. He alleged that up until 2021, the funds looked intact, however, in December 2022, 92% (approximately Rs 422 crores) were missing from just this temple.
Tamil Nadu government’s HR&CE dept had, however, refuted the claim and said that the funds were safe.
Last year, the Supreme Court on Thursday demanded the Government of Tamil Nadu’s statement to a petition alleging that the administration indirectly had taken over the operation of over 38000 temples in the state of Tamil Nadu by recruiting executive officials but without nominating temple trustees. According to the petition, the act has resulted in the mishandling of the finances of large temples
HRCE labels attackers as mentally challenged
Tamil Nadu is a land of temples, the majority of which are ancient and have significant heritage significance. Unfortunately, the temples are now the target of criminals and the victims of indifferent authorities and bureaucrats.
The recent wave of vandalism events at Hindu temples in the state has been cause for great concern. The HR&CE department, which is in charge of temple management, and the Tamil Nadu police have adopted a casual approach to the crisis.
The police have conveniently labeled the attackers mentally challenged in several of the cases. This police version has received little interest as only Hindu temples are usually damaged.
Earlier this year, on (7th August), a miscreant smashed the murtis of Bhagwan Murugan and Valli and Devyani at the Dhandayudhapani temple around noon. The temple is situated atop a hill. When devotees saw the man damage the murtis, they handed him over to the authorities. However, he was declared mentally ill by the police.
Tamil Nadu govt’s HR&CE dept has taken over 38,000 Hindu temples
Notably, in June 2022, the Supreme Court of India had taken cognizance of the plea filed by the ‘Indic Collective Trust,’ which stated that the administration indirectly had taken over the operation of over 38000 temples in the state of Tamil Nadu by recruiting executive officials but without nominating temple trustees. According to the petition, the act had resulted in the mishandling of the finances of large temples. The SC then demanded an official statement to the said petition.
The petition stated that while the Conditions for Appointment of Executive Officers Rules, 2015 limit Executive Officer appointments to a maximum of five years, the Executive Officers recruited by the state authorities were nominated indefinitely with no conditions specified in their appointment orders.
The plea also contended that the state had violated Articles 25, 26, and 29 of the Constitution of India by appointing Executive Officers in the temples of Tamil Nadu. While listing various examples of mismanagement of temples by EOs, the Petitioner maintained that decisions related to projects and activities costing crores of rupees are left to be taken with such EOs, causing tremendous damage to the interests of the Deity and Temple Devotees.
It was reported that the EOs diverted temple cash generated by religious donations from worshipers for their wages and other non-religious uses. The petition further stated that there had been no known incident in the preceding 70 years where the Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments Department had returned a temple to the trustee or the community involved after taking over temple administration.
It is reported that there are 36,627 temples, 57 temples affiliated with the Holy Mutts, and 17 temples affiliated with Jains. 88.22% of these temples are under the authority of the HR&CE Department and have an annual income of less than Rs. 10,000.
