Temple activist T.R. Ramesh on July 28, 2026, issued a legal notice to the HR&CE Commissioner, the Government Secretary and the Executive Officer of Sri Arunachaleswarar Temple, Tiruvannamalai, urging them not to withdraw the writ appeals pending before the Madras High Court. The appeals challenge a November 8, 2024 order of a Single Judge, which directed petitioner Avvai Home to pay only Rs. 25 lakh instead of the Rs. 28 crore claimed by the temple. Ramesh also alleged that the temple’s Executive Officer is functioning in the temple through “fraud”.
Taking to his social media platform X, he said, “The Commissioner of the TN HR&CE and the Secretary to the Religious Endowments Department have planned to forego Rs. 28.00+ crores due to Sri Arunachaleswarar Temple, Tiruvannamalai, by withdrawing the writ appeals that have been filed before the Hon’ble Division Bench of the Madras High Court.”
Terming this a criminal breach of trust by these IAS officials and the non-hereditary Executive Officer, he alleged that they were betraying the interests and welfare of the temple, which is under their dominion (see Section 316(5) of the BNS read with Section 61 of the BNS).
Ramesh has urged the HR&CE Minister to immediately order an enquiry and stop this atrocious move. He said that if the concerned IAS officers are found to have taken steps to forego Rs. 28.00 crores of temple money, appropriate criminal action should be taken against them for breach of trust.
CM Joseph Vijay-led TVK government’s decision to transfer Arunachaleswarar Temple property in Chennai’s Adyar for the restoration of Dr. Muthulakshmi Reddy’s former residence has kicked off a controversy over the management of temple assets in Tamil Nadu.
The move, carried out following a Madras High Court order, has drawn both appreciation for preserving the legacy of a pioneering social reformer and criticism from those who argue that temple-owned lands should remain exclusively dedicated to religious purposes.
According to reports, the property belongs to the historic Sri Arunachaleswarar Temple at Tiruvannamalai but had long been leased to institutions associated with Dr. Muthulakshmi Reddy. The bungalow, where the renowned physician, legislator and founder of the Cancer Institute (WIA) resided for several decades, has reportedly fallen into disrepair.
Ramesh, in a post on X, said, “This is an atrocious and criminal misuse of very valuable Hindu endowment property by the officials of @tnhrcedept, who have been controlling Sri Arunachaleswarar Temple, Tiruvannamalai, by FRAUD for the last 75 years. Let them raise a memorial for this Muthulakshmi at a government place or where she died, not on temple land. The land is worth Rs. 150 crore.”
In another development, Hindu Munnani has condemned the Executive Officer of the Illaiyur Kasi Viswanathar Temple for merely describing the stolen idol as a green stone to the police, alleging that such a statement would help the thieves. It said the Lingam was made of Maragatha stone, a rare and priceless one.
Hindu Munnani president Kadeswara Subramaniam said, “We condemn the act of the EO for helping the thieves by saying it is only a green stone and not a gem. It is a sacred Shiva Lingam made from emerald or green gem-like stones such as green jade. It is prized for its high vibrational energy, deep spiritual significance, and use in traditional Hindu worship.”
