Fast against diversion of funds ;in Guruvayur

July 21, 2005

Fast against diversion of funds

Staff Reporter

Devotees submit mass petition to Devaswom Managing Committee

GURUVAYUR: A fast was organised here on Wednesday under the banner of

several Hindu organisations to protest against the alleged move by

the State Government to divert the Guruvayur Devaswom funds for `non-

temple purposes.'

The fast, organised by leaders of 76 Hindu organisations, was

inaugurated by All India Harijan Samajam president M.K. Kunjon. A

mass petition signed by the devotees of Lord Guruvayurappan was

submitted to the Devaswom Managing Committee against the move to

divert Devaswom funds. Emphasising that it was the duty of the

Government to build up infrastructure and developmental projects in

different areas of the State, the Hindu leaders recalled that there

were about 45 places of worships other than the Guruvayur Sree

Krishna Temple in the eight panchayats and municipalities where the

developmental projects are to be implemented using the Devaswom

funds.

But the Government is trying to utilise the funds of the Guruvayur

Devaswom alone for those developmental projects and has not

approached any other places of worship for financial support. Also as

per Section 27 of the Guruvayur Devaswom Act, the Devaswom funds

could be used only for the welfare of the devotees and for the

development of the temple. In such a context, the efforts to use the

funds for other projects will mean misuse of the funds, they said.

The Devaswom had given Rs. 16 lakhs for the Guruvayur drainage scheme

to be based at Chakkamkandom way back in 1973. But it is not clear

even now how that fund had been used. Similarly, the Devaswom is

trying to scuttle the initiatives to acquire 100 m of land around the

temple. Leaders of various Hindu organisations Kummanam Rajasekharan,

N. Paramasivan, Sreekumar Thamarappilli and K.K. Krishnankutty were

among those who spoke on the occasion.

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