The efforts and protests of Hindu Munnani have borne fruit as buildings illegally encroached upon by a Christian family, including a church, have been removed from temple land. This land, which previously served as a temple garden where flowers were used to make malas (garlands) for the deities, belonged to the Tirunelveli Karuppoondurai Azhiyapatheeshwar Temple.
Dharmaraj, a Christian, illegally occupied the temple garden land in front of the temple. He allegedly built a building that included a church. Hindu Munnani took up the issue and made several complaints to police and revenue authorities. But, the DMK Government did not initiate action. When it stepped up the protest more vigorously, the authorities were left with no option. On March 12 morning at 10 am, they pulled down the illegal structures from the encroached temple land.
Hindu Munnani functionary and advocate K Kutralanathan said, “Hindu Munnani thanked the HR and CE, police, and revenue authorities for taking action. The police had earlier foisted false cases against Hindu Munnani functionaries. Some were assaulted. The injured ones are getting treatment at an hospital. Let the god bless them for their speedy recovery. Its worth is around two crore rupees.”
In another related development, Hindu Munnani has condemned police and sought withdrawal of false cases foiled on its cadres by the DMK Government.
In a statement, Hindu Munnani president Kadeswara Subramaniam said Tirunelveli Karuppoondurai Azhiyapatheeshwar Temple has 70 cents of land for a flower garden. Its present value is estimated to be around Rs.2 crores. Former Panchayat president Dharmaraj, a Christian, encroached on the said land by erecting a church, brickline, and poultry (chicken) farm.
He said, “when we approached the HR and CE they said no documents for the land was available with them. They refused to take action short of documents. When we presented the documents, they slept on the case. We protested by standing on one leg for speedy action last month. following to that , revenue authorities surveyed the land in dispute and put corner stones. But the illegal structures were not touched. We present petition to District collector and HR and CE seeking their intervention in removal of the illegal structures from the temple land”.
“Enraged by the action, Dharmaraj, came to the shop being run by Hindu Munnani district secretary Shankar while he was not in the shop, tried to assault his wife. Her son, who came to protect from the attackers was also being hit. Based on their complaint, two persons have been arrested and further probe is on. Case has been registered against Dharmaraj and two more people in the incident. In a retaliatory move, Dharmaraj filed a case against Shankar’s family saying that his s son used caste invectives against him. Based on that , police arrested Shankar, a college student and now was lodged in prison”.
Subramaniam accused the police of mechanically functioning by not arresting Dharmaraj, who came to Shankar’s shop and assaulted his wife and son. But swiftly took action on his complaint. It is highly condemnable. Police arrested Shankar’s son, a college student, on a false complaint and put him in jail. It also registered false cases against advocate Kutralanathan and 12 others based on complaints from Dharmaraj. Just for preferring complaints to redeem the temple land, the Hindu Munnani functionaries are being harassed with false cases and attacks on them. Hindu munnani strongly condemns the police action. Such acts will be a deterrent to persons who work for a common cause. We urge the Tirunelveli police commissioner to make a personal inquiry in the case”.
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