Chennai: In the wake of controversial actions by the former Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment (HR and CE) department commissioner, temple activist and President of the Temple Worshippers’ Society, TR Ramesh, has expressed hope that the newly appointed commissioner will adhere to the law and ensure transparency in the department’s operations
In a detailed social media post, Ramesh recounted the tenure of the outgoing Commissioner, J Kumaragurubaran I.A.S., who assumed office shortly after the DMK came to power in Tamil Nadu. Ramesh noted that Kumaragurubaran had initially promised transparency in his administration, issuing a directive to his subordinates emphasizing this commitment on May 21, 2021. However, Ramesh asserted that the Commissioner’s actions were far from transparent.
One Mr. J Kumaragurubaran I.A.S. was appointed as the Commissioner of @tnhrcedept as soon as DMK came to power in Tamil Nadu.
A few days after he took charge as Commissioner – on 21.05.2021 – he sent a direction to his subordinates in the Dept stating that… pic.twitter.com/thgLkqu8CI
— trramesh (@trramesh) July 20, 2024
“Many of the circulars and most of the Government Orders (G.O.s) were never published,” Ramesh said, adding that information requests under the Right to Information Act, 2005 were systematically denied. He accused Kumaragurubaran of passing orders that allowed officials to misappropriate temple funds for non-temple purposes without due process, describing these actions as violations of the law.
Ramesh provided evidence of such misappropriation to the Madras High Court, labeling the unauthorized use of temple funds as criminal acts punishable by life imprisonment. He highlighted numerous instances where funds intended solely for temple purposes were diverted illegally during Kumaragurubaran’s tenure.
Ramesh further criticized the creation of the “Officer on Special Duty” position, which Kumaragurubaran assumed after his transfer from the HR and CE Department on February 4, 2023. This position, according to Ramesh, lacked legal sanction under the TN HR&CE Act, 1959, and enabled Kumaragurubaran to continue wielding significant influence over departmental matters, including temple funds and properties.
“During his tenure, many illegal transactions took place in the ‘Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Common Good Fund,’ fraudulently called the ‘Commissioner’s Common Good Fund’ by department insiders,” Ramesh wrote. He accused Kumaragurubaran of using these funds for non-sanctioned purposes without adhering to legal requirements.
Ramesh claimed that the outgoing Commissioner, Mr. Muralidharan, had to endure constant interference from Kumaragurubaran throughout his tenure, which hindered effective governance.
As Mr. Sridhar I.A.S. prepares to take over as the new HR and CE Commissioner, Ramesh expressed cautious optimism. He hoped that Sridhar would not have to deal with an overreaching “Officer on Special Duty” and that he would operate within the legal framework set by the TN HR&CE Act, 1959 and its accompanying rules.
“Let’s see if the new Commissioner will conduct his performance in the Department in accordance with the TN HR&CE Act, 1959 and its accompanying Rules,” Ramesh stated. He stressed the importance of ensuring transparency in decisions related to temple administration, funds, and properties, and called for adherence to the provisions of the RTI Act, 2005.
