10-18-2005, 09:31 PM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Please help us to return the Hindu places of worship to the Hindu Community in India. India is the largest secular democracy in the world, yet in India the majority religion of Hinduism is not allowed to have any control over the management, property, assets, contributions, and funding of their own Temples, as it is being given over to the control of the Government. This would be the same as if here, in America, all Christian denomintations had to relinquish the management, property, assets, contributions, and funding of their Churches to politicians of the U.S. Governemnt.
Read the petition below and go to http://www.petitiononline.com/41207/petition.html to sign the petition.
To:Â The President of India
SAVE HINDUSâ RIGHT TO WORSHIP RESTORE THE MANAGEMENT OF PLACES OF WORSHIP TO THE HINDU COMMUNITY
To: THE PRESIDENT OF INDIA Rashtrapathi Bhavan, New Delhi Your Excellency,
This is to bring to your kind attention a grave aberration in the governance of the Democratic, Secular, Republic of India in its practice of Secularism enshrined in the Constitution. The Constitution guarantees that the government will not interfere with the religious institutions of the people since India is a Secular Country.
While this is followed in letter and spirit in the case of the minority religions this is being violated in the case of Hinduism. From colonial times the Hindu temples are being run by the state and central governments in many places and the revenue from these places are being routed for non-religious purposes of the state. There is also rampant corruption in the handling of these funds as those delegated to the management of these are not chosen for their faith or commitment to the cause. <b>While the incomes from the Churches of the Christian community or the Mosques of the Muslim community get utilized for their own community and religious purposes this is not the case with the Hindu community.</b>
Thus the places of worship of the Hindu segment are in turmoil. As there are not enough funds from the Secular governments available to the Hindus for religious purposes they are at a double disadvantage. This money donated by the Hindu pilgrims ought to have been used exclusively for the places of worship and the community needs but this is not possible now. <b>There have been reports that these funds also get used for the benefit of other religions, like giving subsidies for Haj pilgrims, from the Muslim community. Since the Hindu community has negligible international support unlike other religions this leads to a major handicap.</b>
Our enquiries reveal that the Tirupati Thirumala Devasthanam (TTD) in Andhra Pradesh generates nearly Rs. 500 crores annually and 90% of this money is reportedly going for non-Hindu purposes. There are also allegations about the non-Hindu administrators appointed to run the temple. This is a clear discrimination against the Hindu population. In Kerala the Lord Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala and the Guruvayoor temples, to take two instances, also generates huge incomes which presently gets diverted to other sectors of state apart from getting misused. <b>Large number of Hindu temples are in need of repairs and renovation but these funds are presently not available for that purpose. Neither is this available for the pressing community purposes.</b>
<b>From the funds of the Guruvayoor temple a major part was recently committed to the state administration for building public sewerage systems by the state government designated officials.</b> The Poonkavanam area of the Sabarimala forest temple comprising of several hills and worshipped and conserved by the devotees was taken over during the British times and presently the Govt. of India is asking that the temple pay Rs. 6 crores as compensation for 50 ha of land given for pilgrim facilities. <b>This is as against the thousands of hectares taken over by illegal encroachers, predominantly of the Christian community, in nearby areas with no compensation, with state support. This also has to be seen in the backdrop of the temple revenues worth crores going to the government for the last several decades.</b>
As your kind self is aware there is enormous inflow of international aid to the non-Hindu religions mainly from the Christian organizations and these are being used to lure the poor Hindu populations in to their faith. Since the donations make the people loyal to the donors there is every possibility that they act later on behalf of them. It is a clear case of bribing in the name of religion. <b>There is no way for the Hindu population to arrest this marauding activity through redoubtable international aid as the temple revenues are being diverted to other needs by the government. Lapses in temple administration are frequently reported.</b>
Since the rich countries of the world are predominantly Christian in the post-colonial world and they have used faith and trade as tools for subjugation in the past it is quite likely that this situation will clearly jeopardize the faith of the majority people in India very soon and also, we are afraid, compromise the country's sovereignty. It is also a clear violation of the rights of the individual when the money donated to a temple by a devote is used for purposes other than what is intended. <b>There are also reports of non-Hindus and atheists appointed by various governments to administer temples which can be ritually damaging and is a violation of the principles of justice.</b>
Hence we request that your excellency kindly intervene that : - The Hindu places of worship be left to the Hindu community just as the Christian and Muslim places are being managed by the respective communities. - That appropriate systems be evolved to manage the temples where the Hindu saints and scholars have the final say - Stipulate that the revenues generated at the temples be used only for the purposes of the places of worship or the Hindu community needs by statutory provisions - Help evolve a uniform country wide management policy with regard to the administration and upkeep of temples with the guidance of competent Hindu saints This plea on behalf of the affected Hindu community is to ensure that India remains a true secular democratic country. That the sense of resentment does not lead to break down in communal amity. Also that Indiaâs sovereignty is safe guarded. Else the places of worship of all other communities including their international aid be brought under the scrutiny and management of the various governments. Also enquiries be constituted as to where the funds arrive and to what use they are put to through time. This anomaly has been existing since long and our appeal to your excellency is to help us get justice atleast at this late hour.. Thanking you
haindava_keralam@yahoogroups.com
Contact Email: In association with Shree Vidyadhiraja Vikasa Kendram, Thiruvananthapuram
Contact Email: gsvvk@yahoo.co.in
Sincerely,
The Undersigned
Go to http://www.petitiononline.com/41207/petition.html to sign the petition.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Read the petition below and go to http://www.petitiononline.com/41207/petition.html to sign the petition.
To:Â The President of India
SAVE HINDUSâ RIGHT TO WORSHIP RESTORE THE MANAGEMENT OF PLACES OF WORSHIP TO THE HINDU COMMUNITY
To: THE PRESIDENT OF INDIA Rashtrapathi Bhavan, New Delhi Your Excellency,
This is to bring to your kind attention a grave aberration in the governance of the Democratic, Secular, Republic of India in its practice of Secularism enshrined in the Constitution. The Constitution guarantees that the government will not interfere with the religious institutions of the people since India is a Secular Country.
While this is followed in letter and spirit in the case of the minority religions this is being violated in the case of Hinduism. From colonial times the Hindu temples are being run by the state and central governments in many places and the revenue from these places are being routed for non-religious purposes of the state. There is also rampant corruption in the handling of these funds as those delegated to the management of these are not chosen for their faith or commitment to the cause. <b>While the incomes from the Churches of the Christian community or the Mosques of the Muslim community get utilized for their own community and religious purposes this is not the case with the Hindu community.</b>
Thus the places of worship of the Hindu segment are in turmoil. As there are not enough funds from the Secular governments available to the Hindus for religious purposes they are at a double disadvantage. This money donated by the Hindu pilgrims ought to have been used exclusively for the places of worship and the community needs but this is not possible now. <b>There have been reports that these funds also get used for the benefit of other religions, like giving subsidies for Haj pilgrims, from the Muslim community. Since the Hindu community has negligible international support unlike other religions this leads to a major handicap.</b>
Our enquiries reveal that the Tirupati Thirumala Devasthanam (TTD) in Andhra Pradesh generates nearly Rs. 500 crores annually and 90% of this money is reportedly going for non-Hindu purposes. There are also allegations about the non-Hindu administrators appointed to run the temple. This is a clear discrimination against the Hindu population. In Kerala the Lord Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala and the Guruvayoor temples, to take two instances, also generates huge incomes which presently gets diverted to other sectors of state apart from getting misused. <b>Large number of Hindu temples are in need of repairs and renovation but these funds are presently not available for that purpose. Neither is this available for the pressing community purposes.</b>
<b>From the funds of the Guruvayoor temple a major part was recently committed to the state administration for building public sewerage systems by the state government designated officials.</b> The Poonkavanam area of the Sabarimala forest temple comprising of several hills and worshipped and conserved by the devotees was taken over during the British times and presently the Govt. of India is asking that the temple pay Rs. 6 crores as compensation for 50 ha of land given for pilgrim facilities. <b>This is as against the thousands of hectares taken over by illegal encroachers, predominantly of the Christian community, in nearby areas with no compensation, with state support. This also has to be seen in the backdrop of the temple revenues worth crores going to the government for the last several decades.</b>
As your kind self is aware there is enormous inflow of international aid to the non-Hindu religions mainly from the Christian organizations and these are being used to lure the poor Hindu populations in to their faith. Since the donations make the people loyal to the donors there is every possibility that they act later on behalf of them. It is a clear case of bribing in the name of religion. <b>There is no way for the Hindu population to arrest this marauding activity through redoubtable international aid as the temple revenues are being diverted to other needs by the government. Lapses in temple administration are frequently reported.</b>
Since the rich countries of the world are predominantly Christian in the post-colonial world and they have used faith and trade as tools for subjugation in the past it is quite likely that this situation will clearly jeopardize the faith of the majority people in India very soon and also, we are afraid, compromise the country's sovereignty. It is also a clear violation of the rights of the individual when the money donated to a temple by a devote is used for purposes other than what is intended. <b>There are also reports of non-Hindus and atheists appointed by various governments to administer temples which can be ritually damaging and is a violation of the principles of justice.</b>
Hence we request that your excellency kindly intervene that : - The Hindu places of worship be left to the Hindu community just as the Christian and Muslim places are being managed by the respective communities. - That appropriate systems be evolved to manage the temples where the Hindu saints and scholars have the final say - Stipulate that the revenues generated at the temples be used only for the purposes of the places of worship or the Hindu community needs by statutory provisions - Help evolve a uniform country wide management policy with regard to the administration and upkeep of temples with the guidance of competent Hindu saints This plea on behalf of the affected Hindu community is to ensure that India remains a true secular democratic country. That the sense of resentment does not lead to break down in communal amity. Also that Indiaâs sovereignty is safe guarded. Else the places of worship of all other communities including their international aid be brought under the scrutiny and management of the various governments. Also enquiries be constituted as to where the funds arrive and to what use they are put to through time. This anomaly has been existing since long and our appeal to your excellency is to help us get justice atleast at this late hour.. Thanking you
haindava_keralam@yahoogroups.com
Contact Email: In association with Shree Vidyadhiraja Vikasa Kendram, Thiruvananthapuram
Contact Email: gsvvk@yahoo.co.in
Sincerely,
The Undersigned
Go to http://www.petitiononline.com/41207/petition.html to sign the petition.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->