Publicise HR and CE temples sponsoring free food, urges BJP

Welcoming the government’s move of feeding the public during lockdown using the funds of temples coming under the Hindu Religious and Charities Endowments, BJP spokesperson ANS Prasad said that the name of Chief Minister MK Stalin and HR & CE Minister PK Sekar Babu is well publicised in the free annadhanam schemes during the lockdown, but names of the temples are often not mentioned by the government.

It is devotees’ money that was being spent by the government and it would be appropriate to at least mention the names of temples that were sponsoring the government schemes. The pictures and press releases were issued by the state as if the contributions are made by other minority religions, but the contributions and money towards the COVID relief of Hindu temples are denied publicity, Prasad added.

A few BJP supporters have also expressed their reservations on the scheme under which one lakh free food packets were distributed daily by the temples. “Temples have started feeding the public, thanks to the government intervention and temple funds. Will the government also take possession of funds that belong to Wakf Board and churches so that more people can be fed during lockdown,” tweeted C Prasanth, a BJP supporter.

There were mixed reaction from the temple devotees stating that the state should feed more people using temple funds in a transparent manner and a few have welcomed the move by the state by roping in the canteens operated by the state temples.

It may be noted that the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital canteen is now supported by the HR & CE Department and has started feeding a section of people visiting the GH on a daily basis. The government officials recently conducted a meeting directing the joint directors and temple trustees to explore the option of supporting government hospital canteens through temple funds.