On the Hindu Aikya Vedi (HAV), the umbrella organisation of 175 Hindu organisations, organised a massive fast in front of the Government Secretariat, in protest against the CPM regime taking over 1,800 temples and disbanding the Travancore and Kochi Dewasom Boards. Addressing the massive gathering VHP State Organising Secretary Kummanam Rajasekharan asked how a secular government can take over temples. ?With only two weeks for the Assembly to start, what was the urgency for an ordinance? This ordinance is a threat and humiliation to the Hindus, by the CPM, and a conspiracy to loot temple property. The temples should be under the control of believers and not under CPM, who proclaim they are atheists. The temples of Kerala are not run by government money, but by contributions made by crores of Hindus, and what right does a state have to take over poor man'stemples?? he asked . He said that the VHP and HAV will organise continuous protests and legal battles for autonomy of temples and for a CBI probe into Marad butchery of Hindu fishermen. Shri J. Sishupalan of HAV called upon the Muslims and Christians of Kerala to support the Hindu cause or otherwise the CPM will also takeover churches and mosques. BJP leader O. Rajagopal, Prof: Gopikuttan, M. Gopal, Radhakrishnan etc. also participated in the fast. (FOC)
