CHENNAI: Chief Minister MK Stalin on Sunday asserted that temples are meant for the public and cannot be someone’s personal property. He said this while addressing a gathering after solemnising the marriages of 31 couples on behalf of the HR&CE department at Arulmigu Marudheeswarar Temple in Thiruvanmiyur, Chennai.
The weddings were part of a promise made in the Assembly when the HR&CE minister said 500 weddings would be organised every year in 20 zones of the HR&CE department and the expenses borne by the department.
“Whether it’s a monarchy or democracy, temples are for the people. They are only for the public, irrespective of the type of rule. Temples are not the personal property of anyone. This (HR&CE) department was created during the Justice Party’s rule to change that situation (of temples being in individuals’ control),” Stalin said.
Stalin also listed the achievements of the HR&CE department, such as ensuring Tamil Archanai (pooja) in 47 temples, appointing woman priests, uploading details of temple properties online, retrieving encroached temple land worth Rs 3,700 crore, and appointing archakas (priests) from all castes.
Responding to criticism from opponents, the chief minister said, “Some people are unable to tolerate the government’s work, so they are indulging in mudslinging and spreading falsehood. They don’t have anything to do with politics and are therefore using religion to make allegations against us. They don’t have any proof.”
He added that the HR&CE department has so far organised weddings for 217 couples, including the 31 who got married on Sunday. During the event, the couples were given gifts such as mangalsutras, cots, steel bureaus, mattresses, pillows, and utensils. Ministers TM Anbarasan, Ma Subramanian, PK Sekar Babu, Gingee KS Masthan and other elected representatives took part in the event.