PUDUCHERRY: The AINRC government, an ally of the BJP, has decided to sell unused temple land belonging to the temple endowment in Puducherry through e-auction and then depositing the money earned through auction in the accounts of temples.
Announcing this decision to the media on Wednesday, Chief Minister N Rangasamy said that whatever land was required by the government would be procured by it and the rest would be auctioned off.
The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting recently, said the Chief Minister.
At present, the government was taking a survey of the land available with the temples for the purpose, he said.
The move comes at a time when the BJP has been seeking protection of temple properties.
A committee under a retired judge, comprising IAS officials, should be set up to protect the properties of Hindu temples here, said BJP general secretary V Saminathan.
The Hindu Munnani volunteers on Wednesday led a demonstration in front of the Hindu Religious Institutions (HRI) office, opposing the reported move to sell temple land to those who have encroached upon it and sought protection of the temple properties. A V Sanil Kumar, president of Hindu Munnani unit here, who led the demonstration in front of HRI office, said the HRI, supposed to protect the temple properties, was supporting the move to give away temple lands as house site pattas. He alleged there was such a move with regard to Akkasamy Madam Koil at Vazhaikulam.
The BJP also organised a signature campaign on Tuesday at the Lawspet Assembly constituency to press the government to prevent grabbing of temple properties by private parties here. BJP state secretary Swaminathan, in a statement, said an attempt to grab temple properties worth several crores of rupees at Kumaran Nagar, Lawspet, was thwarted by the public and activists last week. “More than 70 per cent of the temple properties, donated by our ancestors, was now grabbed by private parties,” he said adding that the attitude of the Hindu Religious Institutions and the Territorial administration had led to such a state of affairs. Hence, demanding the retrieval of the properties grabbed by private parties, he said the list of temple properties should be posted on the internet and in newspapers. Every household in Lawspet constituency should be vigilant on this issue, Swaminathan said.
He said the list of signatures would be handed over to the district Collector to initiate action, failing which, the BJP would move the High Court against the HRI and the AINRC government.