The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay-led TVK government has announced an ambitious plan to renovate and perform Kumbabhishekam (consecration) at 3,000 temples over the next five years, allocating Rs.708 crores for the initiative through the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department. The announcement was made by Finance Minister N Marie Wilson while presenting the revised Budget Estimates in the government’s first Budget on August 5.
Along with the temple renovation programme, the government said it would upgrade basic amenities at temples witnessing high footfalls by providing safe drinking water, restrooms, bathrooms, accommodation and other infrastructure needed to attract more devotees and offer better basic amenities.
He said the government plans to renovate and perform Kumbabhishekam (Thirukuda Muzhukku) at 3,000 temples and restore 84 temple chariots over the next five years, adding that an allocation of Rs.708 crores has been made for the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department in the revised Budget Estimates.
The TVK government, he said, had recognised the need to appoint trustees to temples and issued notifications for the appointment of trustees to 9,205 temples within a short span of time. The minister hoped that the processes, which are underway, would be completed soon.
The minister also announced that renovation work in 213 temples that are older than 1,000 years would be undertaken, besides cleaning and desilting 250 temple tanks and servicing and repairing 75 temple cars in Tamil Nadu.
But Hindu Munnani and temple activists say, “The fund allocation is meagre when compared to renovating such a large number of temples. According to the HR&CE Department, it has identified 254 dilapidated temples for restoration and renovation.”
HR&CE Minister S Ramesh told the media recently, “This year our primary focus is on temples that are crying out for renovation and are in an advanced stage of deterioration. While major well-known temples automatically receive good traction, we want to attach importance to lesser-known and ancient temples, including small ones. Such temples are in utter ruin, with damaged structures, collapsed enclosure walls or even missing sanctum sanctorums. This would entail an expenditure of Rs.220 crores and funds would be allocated in the coming budget. Works would be carried out in phases.”
The minister further said, “We are firm in our commitment and are preparing a list of temples that have not witnessed Kumbabhishekam for several years. Our plan includes the restoration and desilting of temple tanks. We have identified 285 temple tanks that need attention.”
On the temple chariot cars, the minister said, “We have found that 87 temple chariot cars are in poor repair.”
Minister S Ramesh said, “We are preparing a master plan under which donors could directly carry out the restoration of temple tanks of their choice, subject to supervision and oversight.”
Tamil Nadu BJP, reacting to budget allocations for minority welfare, said the allocation has increased from Rs.1,684 crores (interim budget) to Rs.1,700 crores in the revised budget, an increase of Rs.66 crores. The table would be self-explanatory regarding the allocation for other departments.
One of the netizens, Advocate Ashok, said, “The Haj subsidy has been raised from Rs.25,000 to Rs.35,000.”
Another said, “DMK, AIADMK and now TVK extend largesse to minorities. They keep all income from mosques and churches to themselves. But while administering the Hindu temples and taking the revenue from temples, the government is only giving peanuts. Why this partiality?”
Interestingly, the government has also increased the subsidy to undertake pilgrimage to Jerusalem from Rs.25,000 to Rs.35,000. Hindus ask why people visiting their places of worship in foreign countries should be given a subsidy. Why can’t it be given to Hindus who have thousands of pilgrimage places in India and are unable to visit them because of poverty?
Another netizen questioned, saying, “Waqf keeps Waqf funds, the Church keeps Church funds, but temple funds go to the State government. Equal laws? Not even close.”
“The government, on the one hand, increases temple entry, abhishekam, festival and other charges manifold, but gives away funds to minorities, from whom not a penny comes to the government coffers.”
The TN government’s decision to name an award after Quaid-e-Millath, a staunch champion of the Partition of India, on Thiruvalluvar Day came in for severe criticism.
They said, “It is an insult to the saint-poet Thiruvalluvar and belittles his stature. The award should have been named after any Tamil scholar who had tuned his way of life according to the Thirukkural couplets.”
Muhammad Ismail Rowther, popularly known as Quaid-e-Millath, founded the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML). Critics say, “Dravidian and Left parties, along with the Congress, adored him as one of the freedom fighters for vote-bank politics while neglecting true patriots and freedom fighters.”
