Madras High Court adjourns HR&CE plea seeking to restrain Deekshitars
Special Government Pleader (SPP) N R R Arun Natarajan appeared for HR&CE and contended that though the temple has been declared as a public temple, Podhu Dikshithars committee seldom obeys the instructions or directions issued by the government.
CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has adjourned the hearing of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment (HR&CE) plea seeking to restrain the Deekshithars from constructing illegal establishments within the Natarajar temple at Chidambaram.
HR&CE stated that the Podhu Deekshithars committee constructed unauthorized construction without obtaining permission from the state-level expert committee and the district-level committee, which is non-compliance with the court's order.
The case was heard by a division bench comprising Justice R Mahadevan and Justice PD Audikesavalu.
Special Government Pleader (SPP) N R R Arun Natarajan appeared for HR&CE and contended that though the temple has been declared as a public temple, Podhu Dikshithars committee seldom obeys the instructions or directions issued by the government.
SPP submitted that several rooms, inside the temple premises, without regard to the ancient structures and heritage nature of the temple, had been constructed and thereby they destroyed several pillars. Recently, the Deekshithars committee axed down 100-year-old trees for the creation of an entertainment park adjacent to the four sides of the temple gopuram without any permission. The SPP also submitted photographs of illegal construction and sought to stop the same.
K. Harishankar, the counsel appeared for the Deekshithars contended that no such illegal construction, as complained, is being carried out in the temple. The counsel also undertakes that no further construction activity will go on, if any, will be stopped forthwith.
After the submission, the bench posted the matter to December 6 for further submission.
