CHENNAI: Alleging that cattle, donated to temples under the administration of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) department, are being sold to private individuals for slaughtering, an activist moved the Madras High Court on Wednesday.
Admitting the plea, the first bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice PD Audikesavalu directed the HR&CE department and the management of Trichy Srirangam temple to file their responses on the matter by September 8. According to activist Rangarajan Narasimhan, the petitioner, old cows that stop producing milk and male calves are being disposed of in an unethical manner at the temples.
Recording the submissions, the High Court bench said, “For a start, the State government should file a status report containing information of the number of cattle, with approximate age and sex details, residing at temples across the State. The report should also contain what Standard Operating Procedure is being followed at the temples for their maintenance and well-being.”