3 days ago
Govt bid to loot temple lands: YSRCP
Guntur: YSRCP senior leader and former MLA Malladi Vishnu vehemently condemned the TDP-led coalition government's move to allocate temple lands without transparent public auctions, as outlined in GO Ms No 139, issued on May 2, this year.
In a statement released to media, he described the order, which amends the Andhra Pradesh Charitable and Hindu Religious Institutions and Endowments Immovable Properties and Other Rights Leases and Licenses Rules, 2003, as a 'sinister attempt' to plunder the sacred assets of Andhra Pradesh's temples.
He highlighted that the Endowments Department manages 4.67 lakh acres of temple lands, a sacred trust meant to sustain religious institutions. He criticised the TDP government, led by Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, for permitting the leasing of these lands to select organisations under the pretext of 'charitable activities' for up to 33 years at nominal rates, bypassing mandatory public auctions. He stressed that this move violates High Court and Supreme Court rulings, which mandate auctions for leasing temple lands and require prior court approval for any transfers.
