As the Hindus and Hindu organisations continue to be mistreated under AIADMK Govt, Jayalalithaa declared funds for renovation of churches and mosques
TS Venkatesan
It seems, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa has beaten the so-called pseudo secular parties, by slew of measures that are mainly intended to appease the minority communities. The Hindu Munnani has been holding protests urging the State Government to free temples from the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department (HR & CE) administration. The revenue from these temples, estimated over
Rs 1,800 crore, are being squandered by politicians and grabbing its vast properties. At the same all the Dravidian parties, in their poll manifesto, assured that steps would be taken to retrieve the Wakf Board and the church from the squatters. But as far as the Hindu temple lands and properties are concerned, it would be registered in names of unlawful tenants.
In yet another initiative aimed at fulfilling AIADMK’s electoral promise, on September 18, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa announced funds for renovation of churches and mosques under the Waqf Board. Pointing out that the party had promised to give funds for carrying out renovation and repair of churches in the run up to May 16 assembly election, Jayalalithaa said a sum of Rs one crore would be allotted for the purpose. In an official release, she also referred to a similar assurance for refurbishment and repair of mosques and darghas under Waqf by creating a corpus. The state presently disbursed Rs 60 lakh per annum for renovation of mosques and darghas under Waqf, she noted.
“Now, in tune with the electoral promise, a corpus will be created,” she said adding, “I have ordered release of Rs 3 crore for the corpus fund.” Through such initiatives, the places of worship of minorities will get a facelift, she said. She also increased cash assistance to Ulemas to Rs 1,500 per month.
The Hindu organisations are up against this appeasement policy and have condemned the State Government’s partisan attitude.They alleged that it swindles revenue from Hindu temples in various forms. They appealed to the CM and HR & CE to stop such renovation of churches and mosques as they have their own funds to do such things. Moreover, some leaders alleged, both Mosques and churches have been getting overseas funds. Particularly oil rich Gulf countries and missionaries are
pumping money for various activities including conversion, building new places of worship. Since 2012, functionaries of several Hindu outfits, especially Hindu Munnani and BJP, have been targeted across the state. State medical wing secretary of the BJP Dr V Aravinth Reddy was hacked to death in Vellore on October 23, 2012. Followed his murder, state secretary of Hindu Munnani S Vellaiyappan was hacked to death in Vellore on July 1, 2013. Similarly, BJP state general secretary ‘Auditor’ V Ramesh was hacked in Salem on July 19, 2013. On September 19, 2016, 36-year-old Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) functionary R Suri was hacked to death by a three member gang in Hosur. In most of the cases, culprits are at large.
Meanwhile, Hindu organisations and workers continue to be mistreated and oppressed by the Government. The protests are mounting against the minority appeasement policy and double standards of Jayalalithaa Government. “During Vinayagar Chathurthi festival, the state police acted in an indifferent manner by putting many restrictions on the locations where idols should be kept, and
creating obstructions along the procession route. In some places, office bearers were threatened with dire
consequences,” said Hindu Munnani state vice President Karthikeyan.
Another top office bearer of the Hindu Munnani said that police had a vested interest in doing so. In Kallimedu, when the Dalits had threatened to convert to Isalam over the denial of permission to take part in the temple rituals, the police allowed Muslim outfit and Christian missionaries to enter the temple premises. But when Hindu organisations tried to initiate peace talks among the believers, the police denied the permission, he added.
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