04-30-2005, 01:22 AM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->
<b> Summary:</b>
Unbelievable yet undoubtedly alarming is the fact that Hinduism in India is under attack by its native political culture. The difference however is that this time around the perpetrators of the assault are not the foreign conquerors or religious competitors but sons of India's own soil supporting Hindu names The persecution of Hindus in Kashmir, terror against them in North Eastern states resulting in their exodus and the nationalization of their temples and the temple owned estates in central, western and southern India are stark examples of this aggression. Should the Hindu world take these seemingly well organized anti-Hindu strategies lying down this all out internal subversion against Hinduism might result in radical transformation of the Indian nation insofar as its ethno-religious composition is concerned. In this report however, we will try to analyze developments in just one state in support of our thesis.
The government control has proved injurious and seriously debilitating to the foundations of the Hindu society and its religious infrastructure. It brought about a systematic and progressive demolition of Hinduism while leaving pujaris starving and Acharyas sidelined. Under the provisions of the Indian constitution discriminating, managing, reforming or patronizing religions is completely outside the scope of the government. Yet that is exactly what the officials in AP did. The elected political representatives of this state by enacting a Law through the instrument of the majority vote might presume to be legislatively right, but they are constitutionally wrong and not authorized to meddle in the religious faith of a billion Hindus. Only denationalization and restoration of religious shrines to the community guidance and governance can uphold the secular precepts of the constitution - and end the flagrant violation of "fundamental human rights and freedom of religion" for Hindus. The laws for keeping temples and shrines under government control are not only anti- secular and anti-Hindu but also "anti-national" as they are being used for dismantling Hinduism, the faith that is the single most important unifying factor in India's body politic.
Pending the denationalization of temples and their estates, the AP govt. must be persuaded, through public protests if necessary, to transform the endowments department, the Hathiramji Mutt, and the TTD trust into a new trust body with jurisdiction upon the Hindu religious entities. Such a trust should be made accountable to an interim ad hoc Hindu Council (a "shadow" Hindu Board) which in turn could be nominated by the Hindu Dharma Acharya Sabha - the apex representative body of the Hindu samaj . The Council will visit, investigate and survey the temples and bring their grievances, findings and observations before the appropriate authorities and the community for necessary action.
==========================================================
"Demolition of Hindu religious infrastructure"Â and suppression of "fundamental human right of freedom of religion"Â through an Anti-Hindu Law by Andhra Pradesh Government
Dr. Jagan Kaul,
Krishan BhatnagarÂ
April 27, 2005
           Â
Even though unconstitutionally, the temples in Andhra Pradesh were nationalized, with the promise and premise of a clean and transparent management - such a draconian and questionable action was taken without placing before the general public any convincing evidence to justify the intervention by the state. But alas instead of streamlining the administration the government control has proved injurious and seriously debilitating to the basic Hindu religious infrastructure . It virtually brought about systematic and progressive demolition of the faith's infrastructure while leaving pujaris starving and Acharyas sidelined. The public reaction against the official intrusion has at best been insignificant.
Followers of no other faiths in the world would tolerate such desecration and loot of their places of worship. Persons with no devotion and religious background on Hinduism, even non Hindus from competing religious formations govern them. The practice of a religious group being ruled by their opponents or those with political or financial motivations is completely unacceptable and it betrays the real motive behind the scheme of nationalization -- not even Vatican or Mecca will allow this practice in their sphere of influence. Such a lawlessness In the administration of temples has become possible due to some frivolous interpretation of the concurrent list in the Indian Constitution. Therefore, in addition to the demand for denationalization, Hindus must insist that temples be taken out of the concurrent list of the constitution - by an amendment - that allows political and vested interests to meddle in Hindu temples and sacred places.
The unforgivable destruction of Mandapam at TTD is a symptom of a deep malaise - the unwarranted government interference in Hindu places of worship . There is an acceleration of disintegration of Hindu religious infrastructure in Andhra Pradesh : Naxals are distributing temple lands , the massive land scam in Hathiramji Mutt at Tirumala, and the infamous demolition of 1000 pillar mandapam at Tirumala. And then there is the alleged siphoning of temple revenues and lands that makes it hard for pujaris to survive much less to perform religious duties and do dharma prachar.
The state of Andhra Pradesh reportedly transfers some 85% of temple revenues to the state exchequer - possibly to support a bureaucracy of 77,000 for managing some 33,000 temples - leaving "pujaris" to starve . There are allegations that some 3.5 lakh (3,50,000 ) acres of temple lands in AP are under illegal occupation that the government may distribute to the so called poorer sections, under the leftist urging. Howsoever noble the cause, it is beyond trustees' covenant to dispose away the lands meant for sustenance in perpetuity.Â
About 80% of the 27,000-odd temples have no income other than what they get from the vested lands. And once the lands are taken over, for want of resources the worship (puja) in these temples will come to a close leading to their inevitable closure. In reality such an action will amount to denying the right to worship - the right that has been guaranteed by the Indian Constitution. .
The doctrine of nationalization and state control of the places of religious worship and their estates cuts at the very roots of the fundamental principles of secularism which dictates the separation of state and religion. Assigning such jurisdiction to an autonomous Hindu community Board could be the most appropriate instrument for guidance and governance of shrines and temples to satisfy public and government concerns, if any, on management - the age old practice without the governmental dictates and as followed by other religious communities.
For any potential allegations of mismanagement, scores of legal avenues are available to the aggrieved parties - a practice followed by other religionists' shrines and business organizations. Under such scenario, the appropriate judicial authorities may appoint auditors and make specific recommendations for transparency and accountability but without clamping down government control upon the religious entities.
Our contention encompasses the legal and philosophical commitment of the secular Indian State - that the management and administration of the religious institutions, their estates and places of worship, must reside in the hands of the representative bodies of the believers. For instance: How would Sikhs (Golden temple), Muslims (Jama Masjid) or Christians (Church of India) react to Govt. control of their places of worship? Such an intrusion by the government authority in otherwise an autonomous domain has a potential to generate a chain of serious consequences including the charges against the state for dismantling Hinduism.
The representatives of shrines, temples, Hindu community and religious leaders from Hindu Dharma Acharya Sabha, etc. should convene an assembly where: a) they take charge of clearly defining the new legal framework for the community governance of the religious places; and, b) define necessary organizational infrastructure in order to assume the charge of managing the Hindu shrines, temples and their estates in a legal, democratic and transparent manner. Such an approach among other things, could make the Board completely autonomous and thereby responsible for the entire administration including planning, executing, auditing, guiding, investigating and taking corrective steps on allegations and or complaints as and when needed.
If the AP govt. could almost instantaneously pass a legislation allowing 5% jobs quota for Muslims - in many ways a contentious issue - there is no reason why pending legislation they cannot pass an interim legislation to transform TTD trust , Hathiram ji Mutt and the endowments department into a trust body while placing the trustees accountable to the Hindu community, represented by the Hindu Dharma Acharya Sabha. Establishment of a trust should substantially enhance the transparency of the religious entity. Needless to say that it is obligatory for every trustee to report to the owners the state of their assets, and get their approval on the conduct of the management
The state government in Andhra Pradesh must realize that the temples belong to the Hindu samaj who have built and sustained them over the centuries and therefore, its right to guide and govern temple management could not summarily be usurped. The officials must be persuaded through representations and through public demands, if necessary, to take urgently the following interim, corrective steps for establishing a transparent management - which could stop further irreparable damage to the Hindu religious infrastructure are:
1) covert the endowments dept., the Hathiramji Mutt, and the TTD trust , as a new trust body with jurisdiction upon the Hindu religious entities and accountable to an interim ad hoc Hindu Council (a "shadow" Hindu Board) nominated by the Hindu Dharma Acharya Sabha, as representatives of the Hindu samaj . The Council will survey temples and present their grievances and issues to the appropriate authorities and the community;
2) stop diversion of temple revenues to the state exchequer and open separate bank account for it in a state bank. Such funds should be available for use by temples only ;
3)Â revoke earlier sales orders and put a moratorium on any sale/ transfer of land and properties till the temples are handed back to the community. This should include the nullifying of the fraudulent sale / transfer of Hathiram ji Mutt lands/ properties and illegal distribution of temple lands by Naxals.
4) make the endowments department transparent and open to public scrutiny; institute an independent public audit of temple finances and properties, and issue periodic financial statements.Â
The state authorities must realize that under the provisions of the Indian constitution discriminating, managing, reforming or patronizing religions is completely and fully outside the scope of the government. The elected political representatives by enacting a Law through a majority vote in AP could presume to be right legislatively, but their meddling in the faith of a billion Hindus is ultra virus, constitutionally wrong and unauthorized. Only denationalization and restoration of religious shrines to the community governance can right this wrong. Doing so is also necessary for upholding  the secular precepts of the constitution and the sanctity of the "fundamental human right of freedom of religion" of Hindus. Finally, it should be understood without any misgivings that the discriminatory laws promulgated to keep temples and shrines under government control are not only anti- secular and anti-Hindu but also "anti-national" as they are being used as a tool for dismantling Hinduism, a faith that is the single most important unifying factor in India's body politic.
The authors can be reached by email at : krishan.kb@verizon.net
Some references:
(1) Mammoth Land Scam in Tirupathi; Eenadu, August 31, 2004
(2) Distribution of Temple Lands to the Poor;Â Andhra Jyoti August 29, 2044 (page 8)
(3) Land Distribution-only Solution; Eenadu-Guntur Edition , June 27, 2004
(4 ) Now Naidu eyes temple lands;Â Hindustan Times, July 07, 2003
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<b> Summary:</b>
Unbelievable yet undoubtedly alarming is the fact that Hinduism in India is under attack by its native political culture. The difference however is that this time around the perpetrators of the assault are not the foreign conquerors or religious competitors but sons of India's own soil supporting Hindu names The persecution of Hindus in Kashmir, terror against them in North Eastern states resulting in their exodus and the nationalization of their temples and the temple owned estates in central, western and southern India are stark examples of this aggression. Should the Hindu world take these seemingly well organized anti-Hindu strategies lying down this all out internal subversion against Hinduism might result in radical transformation of the Indian nation insofar as its ethno-religious composition is concerned. In this report however, we will try to analyze developments in just one state in support of our thesis.
The government control has proved injurious and seriously debilitating to the foundations of the Hindu society and its religious infrastructure. It brought about a systematic and progressive demolition of Hinduism while leaving pujaris starving and Acharyas sidelined. Under the provisions of the Indian constitution discriminating, managing, reforming or patronizing religions is completely outside the scope of the government. Yet that is exactly what the officials in AP did. The elected political representatives of this state by enacting a Law through the instrument of the majority vote might presume to be legislatively right, but they are constitutionally wrong and not authorized to meddle in the religious faith of a billion Hindus. Only denationalization and restoration of religious shrines to the community guidance and governance can uphold the secular precepts of the constitution - and end the flagrant violation of "fundamental human rights and freedom of religion" for Hindus. The laws for keeping temples and shrines under government control are not only anti- secular and anti-Hindu but also "anti-national" as they are being used for dismantling Hinduism, the faith that is the single most important unifying factor in India's body politic.
Pending the denationalization of temples and their estates, the AP govt. must be persuaded, through public protests if necessary, to transform the endowments department, the Hathiramji Mutt, and the TTD trust into a new trust body with jurisdiction upon the Hindu religious entities. Such a trust should be made accountable to an interim ad hoc Hindu Council (a "shadow" Hindu Board) which in turn could be nominated by the Hindu Dharma Acharya Sabha - the apex representative body of the Hindu samaj . The Council will visit, investigate and survey the temples and bring their grievances, findings and observations before the appropriate authorities and the community for necessary action.
==========================================================
"Demolition of Hindu religious infrastructure"Â and suppression of "fundamental human right of freedom of religion"Â through an Anti-Hindu Law by Andhra Pradesh Government
Dr. Jagan Kaul,
Krishan BhatnagarÂ
April 27, 2005
           Â
Even though unconstitutionally, the temples in Andhra Pradesh were nationalized, with the promise and premise of a clean and transparent management - such a draconian and questionable action was taken without placing before the general public any convincing evidence to justify the intervention by the state. But alas instead of streamlining the administration the government control has proved injurious and seriously debilitating to the basic Hindu religious infrastructure . It virtually brought about systematic and progressive demolition of the faith's infrastructure while leaving pujaris starving and Acharyas sidelined. The public reaction against the official intrusion has at best been insignificant.
Followers of no other faiths in the world would tolerate such desecration and loot of their places of worship. Persons with no devotion and religious background on Hinduism, even non Hindus from competing religious formations govern them. The practice of a religious group being ruled by their opponents or those with political or financial motivations is completely unacceptable and it betrays the real motive behind the scheme of nationalization -- not even Vatican or Mecca will allow this practice in their sphere of influence. Such a lawlessness In the administration of temples has become possible due to some frivolous interpretation of the concurrent list in the Indian Constitution. Therefore, in addition to the demand for denationalization, Hindus must insist that temples be taken out of the concurrent list of the constitution - by an amendment - that allows political and vested interests to meddle in Hindu temples and sacred places.
The unforgivable destruction of Mandapam at TTD is a symptom of a deep malaise - the unwarranted government interference in Hindu places of worship . There is an acceleration of disintegration of Hindu religious infrastructure in Andhra Pradesh : Naxals are distributing temple lands , the massive land scam in Hathiramji Mutt at Tirumala, and the infamous demolition of 1000 pillar mandapam at Tirumala. And then there is the alleged siphoning of temple revenues and lands that makes it hard for pujaris to survive much less to perform religious duties and do dharma prachar.
The state of Andhra Pradesh reportedly transfers some 85% of temple revenues to the state exchequer - possibly to support a bureaucracy of 77,000 for managing some 33,000 temples - leaving "pujaris" to starve . There are allegations that some 3.5 lakh (3,50,000 ) acres of temple lands in AP are under illegal occupation that the government may distribute to the so called poorer sections, under the leftist urging. Howsoever noble the cause, it is beyond trustees' covenant to dispose away the lands meant for sustenance in perpetuity.Â
About 80% of the 27,000-odd temples have no income other than what they get from the vested lands. And once the lands are taken over, for want of resources the worship (puja) in these temples will come to a close leading to their inevitable closure. In reality such an action will amount to denying the right to worship - the right that has been guaranteed by the Indian Constitution. .
The doctrine of nationalization and state control of the places of religious worship and their estates cuts at the very roots of the fundamental principles of secularism which dictates the separation of state and religion. Assigning such jurisdiction to an autonomous Hindu community Board could be the most appropriate instrument for guidance and governance of shrines and temples to satisfy public and government concerns, if any, on management - the age old practice without the governmental dictates and as followed by other religious communities.
For any potential allegations of mismanagement, scores of legal avenues are available to the aggrieved parties - a practice followed by other religionists' shrines and business organizations. Under such scenario, the appropriate judicial authorities may appoint auditors and make specific recommendations for transparency and accountability but without clamping down government control upon the religious entities.
Our contention encompasses the legal and philosophical commitment of the secular Indian State - that the management and administration of the religious institutions, their estates and places of worship, must reside in the hands of the representative bodies of the believers. For instance: How would Sikhs (Golden temple), Muslims (Jama Masjid) or Christians (Church of India) react to Govt. control of their places of worship? Such an intrusion by the government authority in otherwise an autonomous domain has a potential to generate a chain of serious consequences including the charges against the state for dismantling Hinduism.
The representatives of shrines, temples, Hindu community and religious leaders from Hindu Dharma Acharya Sabha, etc. should convene an assembly where: a) they take charge of clearly defining the new legal framework for the community governance of the religious places; and, b) define necessary organizational infrastructure in order to assume the charge of managing the Hindu shrines, temples and their estates in a legal, democratic and transparent manner. Such an approach among other things, could make the Board completely autonomous and thereby responsible for the entire administration including planning, executing, auditing, guiding, investigating and taking corrective steps on allegations and or complaints as and when needed.
If the AP govt. could almost instantaneously pass a legislation allowing 5% jobs quota for Muslims - in many ways a contentious issue - there is no reason why pending legislation they cannot pass an interim legislation to transform TTD trust , Hathiram ji Mutt and the endowments department into a trust body while placing the trustees accountable to the Hindu community, represented by the Hindu Dharma Acharya Sabha. Establishment of a trust should substantially enhance the transparency of the religious entity. Needless to say that it is obligatory for every trustee to report to the owners the state of their assets, and get their approval on the conduct of the management
The state government in Andhra Pradesh must realize that the temples belong to the Hindu samaj who have built and sustained them over the centuries and therefore, its right to guide and govern temple management could not summarily be usurped. The officials must be persuaded through representations and through public demands, if necessary, to take urgently the following interim, corrective steps for establishing a transparent management - which could stop further irreparable damage to the Hindu religious infrastructure are:
1) covert the endowments dept., the Hathiramji Mutt, and the TTD trust , as a new trust body with jurisdiction upon the Hindu religious entities and accountable to an interim ad hoc Hindu Council (a "shadow" Hindu Board) nominated by the Hindu Dharma Acharya Sabha, as representatives of the Hindu samaj . The Council will survey temples and present their grievances and issues to the appropriate authorities and the community;
2) stop diversion of temple revenues to the state exchequer and open separate bank account for it in a state bank. Such funds should be available for use by temples only ;
3)Â revoke earlier sales orders and put a moratorium on any sale/ transfer of land and properties till the temples are handed back to the community. This should include the nullifying of the fraudulent sale / transfer of Hathiram ji Mutt lands/ properties and illegal distribution of temple lands by Naxals.
4) make the endowments department transparent and open to public scrutiny; institute an independent public audit of temple finances and properties, and issue periodic financial statements.Â
The state authorities must realize that under the provisions of the Indian constitution discriminating, managing, reforming or patronizing religions is completely and fully outside the scope of the government. The elected political representatives by enacting a Law through a majority vote in AP could presume to be right legislatively, but their meddling in the faith of a billion Hindus is ultra virus, constitutionally wrong and unauthorized. Only denationalization and restoration of religious shrines to the community governance can right this wrong. Doing so is also necessary for upholding  the secular precepts of the constitution and the sanctity of the "fundamental human right of freedom of religion" of Hindus. Finally, it should be understood without any misgivings that the discriminatory laws promulgated to keep temples and shrines under government control are not only anti- secular and anti-Hindu but also "anti-national" as they are being used as a tool for dismantling Hinduism, a faith that is the single most important unifying factor in India's body politic.
The authors can be reached by email at : krishan.kb@verizon.net
Some references:
(1) Mammoth Land Scam in Tirupathi; Eenadu, August 31, 2004
(2) Distribution of Temple Lands to the Poor;Â Andhra Jyoti August 29, 2044 (page 8)
(3) Land Distribution-only Solution; Eenadu-Guntur Edition , June 27, 2004
(4 ) Now Naidu eyes temple lands;Â Hindustan Times, July 07, 2003
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->