CHENNAI: Flagging corruption in managing temple properties, the Madras high court has said officials of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) department are committing a sin if they fail to protect temple properties and put them to proper use.
“Great souls donated their hard-earned money to religious institutions with great expectation that their donations will be utilised for the benefit of the temple and to the devotees,” Justice S M Subramaniam said on Friday.
If their wishes are not honoured, no doubt, the competent authorities and the trustees of the temple not only commit a sin, but also infringing the right of the minor deity, the judge added.
“This court would not hesitate to record that corrupt activities are rampant in respect of dealing with temple properties either at the instance of the trustees or the competent authorities,” the judge said.
The high court, being the custodian of the minor, is bound to protect the interest of the minor deity, more specifically in religious Institutions. Thus, the court has to interfere in such circumstances even in the absence of initiation of action by HR and CE due to active or passive collusion with the private parties, the court said.
The court made the observations while dismissing a plea moved by 90-year-old K A Sreedharan, who was in possession of a land belonging to Arulmigu Maagaliamman Thirukovil, Coimbatore since 1960.
“The genesis of the litigation would purportedly commence in this fashion and it will be protracted one way or the other for unjust gains for the lease taken out by the leaseholders,” the judge said.
Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/sin-to-mismanage-temple-assetsmadras-hc/articleshow/87942964.cms
