Latest news with #HR&CEAct
Hans India
a day ago
- Politics
- Hans India
AIADMK's Palaniswami Sparks Controversy With Temple Land Ownership Promise For Delta Residents
Tamil Nadu's opposition leader Edappadi K Palaniswami has ignited a fresh political controversy by pledging to grant formal land ownership rights to families residing on temple properties across the state's delta region, should his AIADMK party regain power. The promise has drawn sharp criticism from political commentators and sparked renewed debate over temple land management. Palaniswami defended his proposal by highlighting the long-term residence of numerous families on temple-owned land, arguing that his previous administration had initiated steps toward regularizing their occupancy. During his tenure as Chief Minister, he had announced a comprehensive scheme whereby the government would conduct land assessments, compensate temples appropriately, and subsequently issue ownership documents to current residents. The former Chief Minister acknowledged that legal challenges had previously derailed the initiative, with court interventions resulting in stay orders that prevented implementation. He expressed confidence that a future AIADMK government would successfully navigate these legal obstacles and complete the ownership transfer process for affected families. However, the proposal has faced immediate pushback from political analysts who question both its legality and appropriateness. Sumanth Raman, a prominent political commentator, strongly condemned the plan through social media, emphasizing that temple lands remain outside government ownership and cannot be arbitrarily redistributed. He characterized Palaniswami's promise as fundamentally flawed and politically irresponsible. The controversy extends beyond land ownership issues to broader questions about temple administration and fund utilization. During his ongoing statewide campaign, Palaniswami has consistently attacked the ruling DMK government's approach to temple management, accusing them of misappropriating religious institution funds for secular purposes. Palaniswami has specifically criticized the DMK's practice of using temple revenues to establish educational institutions, arguing that such expenditures represent improper diversion of religious funds. He contends that the state government should finance educational infrastructure through its own budget rather than utilizing temple resources designated for religious purposes. The DMK leadership has responded forcefully to these accusations, citing existing legal frameworks that explicitly permit such fund utilization. The HR&CE Act provides clear authorization for temple institutions to allocate surplus funds toward educational and charitable activities, making Palaniswami's criticism legally questionable. Chief Minister MK Stalin has characterized Palaniswami's position as reflecting BJP ideological influence rather than traditional AIADMK policies. This accusation suggests that the opposition leader has shifted toward more religiously conservative positions that align with national BJP narratives about temple autonomy and Hindu religious rights. Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin escalated the political rhetoric by labeling Palaniswami a "Sanghi," implying ideological alignment with RSS-BJP thinking rather than authentic AIADMK principles. This characterization represents an attempt to portray the opposition leader as abandoning his party's historical positions in favor of external ideological influences. The temple land ownership promise reflects broader political calculations about rural constituency appeals and religious sentiment mobilization. Palaniswami's strategy appears designed to attract support from families currently residing on temple properties while simultaneously positioning his party as protective of religious institutions against alleged DMK mismanagement.
India Today
a day ago
- Politics
- India Today
Edappadi Palaniswami vows land ownership for Tamil Nadu temple residents, faces heat
All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) has said his party will give pattas, or land ownership documents, to people living on temple land in Tamil Nadu's delta region if it returns to said many families have been living on temple land for years, and the AIADMK government had started steps to make them owners. 'As Chief Minister, I announced a scheme where the government would assess the land, pay the temple, and give pattas. But a few people went to court and got a stay,' he will once again come to power and AIADMK Government will take action to make them owners of the land,' said EPS. Political analyst Sumanth Raman criticised the plan on X. He said the land does not belong to the government and called the move 'completely unacceptable' and a 'bad move' by Palaniswami.A few days earlier, during his statewide tour, Palaniswami also accused the ruling DMK of misusing temple funds. 'Even seeing temples irritates the DMK. They take temple money meant for development and use it to build colleges,' he told crowds, calling it unfair and questioning why the government doesn't fund colleges from its own DMK hit back sharply, pointing out that the HR&CE Act allows surplus temple funds for education and charity. Chief Minister MK Stalin accused Palaniswami of echoing BJP's ideology, while Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin called him a 'Sanghi' and said this was not the AIADMK's voice but that of the RSS-BJP.- EndsMust Watch IN THIS STORY#Tamil Nadu
India Today
6 days ago
- Politics
- India Today
Faith call in Tamil Nadu: Should temple funds build colleges?
(NOTE: This article was originally published in the India Today issue dated July 28, 2025)Control over temples—and, more to the point, temple funds—has been historically an emotive point of contention between traditionalists and rationalists in the South. The former prefer autonomy for the religious sphere and see any apparent overreach by the latter as a transgression—it's also an easy way to raise public passions. The latest shot across the bow came in a campaign remark by AIADMK leader Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS). Speaking during a statewide tour, he accused the ruling DMK of misusing temple funds for purposes unrelated to religion. That has escalated into a wider clash involving electoral strategies, the law, and the legacy of Dravidian seeing temples irritates the DMK,' EPS told crowds in Coimbatore. 'They are taking all the temple money and building colleges. People like you, with good hearts, donate into hundiyals for temple development. That money goes to the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) department. They're diverting it. Isn't it unfair? Shouldn't the government fund colleges from its own resources?'The DMK backlash was sharp and swift. 'Even during his time, temple funds were used to inaugurate colleges. The HR&CE Act clearly allows surplus temple funds to be used for educational and charitable purposes,' CM M.K. Stalin said, in his first jab. Then he let go of a roundhouse: 'From being a dubbed voice of the BJP, EPS has now become its original voice.' Deputy CM Udhayanidhi Stalin was no less vitriolic: 'EPS has fully transformed into a Sanghi. This is not the voice of the AIADMK; it's the voice of the RSS-BJP.' FIGHT FOR FAITHThere's context to the DMK's charge. For decades, the RSS-BJP has said temples should be administered solely by 'devotees'. The demand was revived at the World Murugan Devotees Conference at Madurai, in June. With BJP leaders in attendance, the event passed a resolution calling for 'liberating' temple affairs from state control. On July 12, the party raked up the issue again, insisting on transparency to prevent 'the plunder of temple wealth' and demanding a white paper on the issue. 'This talk of building new colleges is nothing but a smokescreen,' S.G. Suryah, state secretary of the Tamil Nadu BJP, told india today. 'The government's real record is one of neglect; thousands of temples are crumbling under its watch. Devotees' money must go toward preserving our sacred heritage, not funding the state's agenda. Our demand is simple: free our temples. Let the devotees, the true stakeholders, manage them.'Tamil writer Imayam, who serves as the vice-chairman of the TN SC/ST Commission, finds the idea of blocking temple money for education 'not just wrong, but vicious'. Tamil Nadu has 'historically resisted and won' against the 'push to privatise religion and turn temples into exclusive zones', says the Sahitya Akademi awardee. Indeed, temple funds gaining social purpose is no DMK innovation; way back in 1961, under Congress rule, surplus from the Palani temple helped set up the Palaniandavar College of Indian a bit from the onslaught, EPS has since attempted to clarify his remarks. 'I'm not against education,' he said. 'But when temples fund colleges, they often lack adequate facilities. Government-funded colleges are better equipped. That was my only point.' But the framing of his original remarks has allowed the DMK to present the AIADMK's rhetoric as increasingly aligned with saffron—and that can become an Achilles' heel for a substantial part of its vote base. Hitherto, it had been navigating through a zone of ambivalence. As the 2026 assembly election approaches, religion-oriented topics are likely to become even more politically charged, and the AIADMK may find it vexing to sail in two boats. For the DMK, it looks less troubling: an aggravation of the polity around religion only solidifies its to India Today Magazine- EndsMust Watch
New Indian Express
15-07-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Anyone can move court to safeguard temple properties: Madras High Court
The property was originally leased out to her husband Mohammed Iqbal. The temple moved a petition in the civil court against him in 1994 and a decree was passed in 2000 for taking back the possession and recovering the rental arrears. He moved appeals against the decree and after his death, his wife Nachia pursued the litigation. She questioned the legality of the managing trustee of the temple, instead of the HR&CE department, filing the petitions on behalf of the temple for executing the decree passed in 2025 in connection with a 2000 ex-parte order for recovery of the property. The judge remarked that the petitioner has been protracting the litigation merely on some technicalities by filing many frivolous applications one after another in order to see the dispute go unresolved. Disapproving of her contention that the execution petition was barred by limitation since it was filed after a long delay and the managing trustee does not have the locus standi, the judge held that it may not be appropriate to deny the respondent-temple the benefit of exemption from the ambit of the Limitation Act under Section 109 of the HR&CE Act in recovering the possession of temple properties and arrears of rent, merely on some delay in executing the decree.
The Hindu
10-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
T.N. Minister slams Palaniswami over criticism of HR&CE-run educational institutions
Tamil Nadu Minister for Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) P.K. Sekarbabu on Thursday (July 10, 2025) hit back at AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami for questioning the department's role in running educational institutions using temple funds. Speaking to reporters in Chennai, Mr. Sekarbabu said, 'It is highly condemnable that Mr. Palaniswami, unaware of the historical context, spoke like a mouthpiece of the BJP.' The Minister said over 22,450 students are currently studying in 25 schools, one polytechnic, and nine arts and science colleges administered by the HR&CE department. Since the DMK assumed office, ₹132 crore has been spent on building additional classrooms, laboratories, libraries, and auditoriums in these institutions. Despite legal hurdles, four of the 10 new colleges announced by the department have been inaugurated, benefitting around 2,500 students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, he said. Responding to Mr. Palaniswami's remarks challenging the department's authority to run educational institutions using temple funds, Mr. Sekarbabu said the core mission of the department also includes feeding the poor through annadanam, supporting education, and operating healthcare centres. Quoting Chola-era inscriptions from the Thirumukkoodal temple, the Minister said there is historical precedent for temples running schools and hospitals. He added the HR&CE Act empowers the department to establish and manage educational institutions. During Mr. Palaniswami's tenure as Chief Minister, the AIADMK government spent several crores from temple funds to develop HR&CE-run colleges, he said, and pointed out that former Chief Ministers, including K. Kamaraj, M. Bhaktavatsalam, M. Karunanidhi, M.G. Ramachandran, and J. Jayalalithaa, had endorsed temple-administered educational initiatives.
