07-19-2004, 04:49 AM
<b>Mulayams GO for control of Hindu temples </b>
SATURDAY, JULY 17, LUCKNOW: In what appears to be taking over administrative control of bigger temples, including disputed shrines of Ayodhya and Mathura, the Uttar Pradesh government plans to take appointment of priests/heads of temples in its hands and bring them under the purview of the state audit.
In a government order dated June 28, 2004, the Mulayam Singh government has directed all the 70 DMs to furnish details about temples having an annual income of Rs 1 lakh and more.
"Bring all such temples under the purview of the audit and make rules for the appointment of priests and heads of temples by fixing a minimum educational qualification for their appointment," the order issued by Kanshi Ram, special secretary, religious endowment, said.
<b>There are over 350 temples in the state which have an annual income of more than one lakh. However, some of them earn several lakhs. The most famous among them are the makeshift Ram Lala Temple at Ayodhya, Hanumangarhi, Vindhyawasini in Mirzapur, Krishna Janamsthan shrine at Mathura and Kali temple in Lucknow. </b>
Although there are provisions in the Charitable Religious Endowment Act, 1890 (Act 6 of 1890) that the government can interfere in the administration of any religious site, whenever such attempts were made they were strongly resisted by pro-Hindu bodies.
www.cnvi.us/dtdsp.php?date=17-07-2004&group=NW&sgroup=HD&seqno=23
SATURDAY, JULY 17, LUCKNOW: In what appears to be taking over administrative control of bigger temples, including disputed shrines of Ayodhya and Mathura, the Uttar Pradesh government plans to take appointment of priests/heads of temples in its hands and bring them under the purview of the state audit.
In a government order dated June 28, 2004, the Mulayam Singh government has directed all the 70 DMs to furnish details about temples having an annual income of Rs 1 lakh and more.
"Bring all such temples under the purview of the audit and make rules for the appointment of priests and heads of temples by fixing a minimum educational qualification for their appointment," the order issued by Kanshi Ram, special secretary, religious endowment, said.
<b>There are over 350 temples in the state which have an annual income of more than one lakh. However, some of them earn several lakhs. The most famous among them are the makeshift Ram Lala Temple at Ayodhya, Hanumangarhi, Vindhyawasini in Mirzapur, Krishna Janamsthan shrine at Mathura and Kali temple in Lucknow. </b>
Although there are provisions in the Charitable Religious Endowment Act, 1890 (Act 6 of 1890) that the government can interfere in the administration of any religious site, whenever such attempts were made they were strongly resisted by pro-Hindu bodies.
www.cnvi.us/dtdsp.php?date=17-07-2004&group=NW&sgroup=HD&seqno=23