Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments dept dysfunctional, alleges Traffic Ramaswamy

Visiting the temple and the Veera Vasantha Rayar Mandapam that sustained damage in the fire on February 2, Ramaswamy on Saturday said temples in the state do not have adequate security. Speaking to reporters, he alleged that temples have become commercial centres, and added there was political intervention in allowing shops inside the premises. 

“All the shops functioning inside shrines should be removed,” he said. Stating that renovation works should have been undertaken in the temple 20 years ago, he said, “By allowing shops near 1,000 pillar hall and ‘Pudhu Mandapam’, the temple was turned into a commercial centre.” The state government should stop collecting money from devotees in the name of darshan, he added. The public should be allowed to carry mobile phones inside the temple, he said, adding that the officials would suppress incidents happening inside the temple. He had filed a petition regarding this issue at the High Court, Ramaswamy said.

There was minor tension at the entrance when the Ramaswamy tried to enter the temple with his security, a policeman, as guns are not allowed inside the temple. 

Following the order of the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court, the eviction of 22 shops in Veera Vasantha Rayar Mandpam was carried out for the second consecutive day on Saturday. Items stored in the shops that were not damaged in the fire were shifted out and were kept in front of Pudhu Mandapam, which was also closed following the fire accident.  Mini vans were brought inside the temple premises to shift the things out. Even the surplus wooden logs that are kept inside the temple for cooking have been removed. Cooks were directed to bring the wooden logs inside only as and when required.