Madras HC restrains govt from building Vallalar centre on agri land

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court issued an interim order restraining the State from constructing the international centre for Vallalar at Sathya Gnana Sabai in Vadalur but allowed to proceed with the establishment of an old age home a kilometre away from the site.

A division bench of Justice R Suresh Kumar and Justice S Sounthar observed that the State cannot proceed with the process of establishing the international centre at Peruveli, in Sathya Gnana Sabai, as there is no proper approval for converting the agricultural land into a construction site.

However, the bench allowed the Hindu Religious Charitable Endowment (HR&CE) department to proceed with constructing an old-age home, a Siddha centre, and other construction on the site one kilometre from the Peruveli.

A batch of petitions was moved in the High Court challenging the government’s announcement to establish the Vallalar International Centre at Peruveli, Vadalur.

The petitioner claimed that Saint Vallalar, in his various hymns, has mentioned that the Peruveli land should be left for the devotees to experience the ‘Jothi Dharisanam’ and pointed out that the Rs 100 crore project announced by the government was contrary to the teachings of Vallalar.

Countering the claims, the State cited other literature by the saint and claimed that Vallalar wanted to establish health care centres, educational institutions, libraries, and meditation centres at Peruveli to uplift the devotees.

Thus, the government proceeded with the construction to fulfil Vallalar’s wish, the State submitted.

After the submission, the bench temporarily restrained the State from constructing the international centre as proper permission was not granted for the construction on the land.

The bench posted the matter to October 17 for further submissions.