Hindu Munnani opposes TN govt's bid to 'acquire' temple land

Rather than showing concern about the state of ruin of the Veera Cholapuram Sri Ardhanareeswara temple in Kallakurichi district, the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department has placed advertisements in newspapers about the intended sale of that shrine's land, Munnani, a Tamil Nadu-based affiliate of the RSS said in a statement. 

According to the advertisement, Rs 1.98 crore has been fixed as the price for 35 acres owned by the Shiva temple and the bid to acquire the land is to build a new collectorate complex for Kallakurichi district, State Secretary of the Munnani, T Manoharan said. 

The government department has invited objections if any to the proposal and office-bearers of the Munnai from Kallakurichi district have forwarded representations to authorities opposing the 'sell-off.' 

The proposed alienation not only went against the intention of the donors of the land, which was to create an endowment to support the temple perpetually for its regular functioning but also a 'betrayal,' he alleged. Even according to the government's guidelines, 35 acre land should fetch about Rs 100 crore and fixing a value of Rs 1.98 crore is "fraud and an illegal move," the Munnani alleged

"It is illegal for the government to take up construction activities in the site which is yet to become the property of the government. This is condemnable," he alleged. He also urged the people to protest against the endowment department's bid to sell the land belonging to the centuries-old temple. Authorities were not immediately available for comment.