Guest guest Posted July 15, 2003 Report Share Posted July 15, 2003 Pushpa Rajguru <pushparajguru@hotmail.com> > wrote: > > "Pushpa Rajguru" <pushparajguru@hotmail.com> > > pushparajguru@ > > Assault on Hindu Temples - An open letter > > to the Chief Minister of Andhra Prade > > Tue, 15 Jul 2003 15:59:52 +0000 > > > "Having failed in his demand for Rs. 36 crores from > Lord Vankateswara Tirupati temple due to stiff > opposition, the Chief Minister of Andra Pradesh has > targeted thousands of hapless smaller temples." > > > http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/printedition/070703/detNAT19.shtml > > URGENT : IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED > > > > Friends: > > > > Andhra Pradesh might set in motion a pattern which > > could prove to be fatal > > for the Hindus all over India. Chief Minister > > Naidu's plan to take away > > temple's lands must be nipped in the bud. A grass > > roots level protest in > > India MUST BE MOBILIZED. Please help by spreading > > the information and > > sending letters of protest to the CM. > > > > Shree Krishan Bhatnagar has spent invaluable time > & > > resources in his > > relentless pursuit to get this message across to > as > > many people as possible. > > His "Open Letter to the Chief Minister of > Andhra > > Pradesh" is reproduced > > below. There is a short cover note at the > beginning > > of his Open Letter > > which explains the issue, its seriousness and the > > necessity of urgent > > action by leaders and the public. It is based on > a > > news report that is > > attached at the very end. Those who prefer a > > different format can easily > > edit the letter according to their wishes. > > > > Other suggestions, ideas about how to combat this > > latest assault on our > > sacred temples is encouraged. > > > > Your help is appreciated. > > > > > > Pushpa Rajguru > > ------------ > > > > ----Original Message Follows---- > > "Krishan Bhatnagar" <krishan.kb@verizon.net> > > "Krishan Bhatnagar" <krishan.kb@verizon.net> > > Assault on Hindu Temples: An open letter > to > > the Chief Minister of > > Andhra Pradesh > > Mon, 14 Jul 2003 16:19:19 -0400 > > > > Friends, > > > > This concerns Andhra Pradesh (AP) govt. decision > to > > take away the temples' > > vested lands. It is estimated that 80 % of 27,000 > > temples, that have no > > other income except that from these lands, will > face > > closure, a very serious > > concern to the Hindu community . Hence the open > > letter to the CM of AP, > > whose move seems to be politically motivated. > > Hindus world wide must > > protest en masse to have it revoked. Filing PILs' > in > > Indian courts is also > > suggested. > > > > Having failed in his demand for Rs. 36 crores from > > Lord Vankateswara > > Tirupati temple due to stiff opposition, the CM > has > > targeted thousands of > > hapless smaller temples (see News item at the end > of > > the letter). Every one > > of us interested in preservation of our heritage > and > > temples must band > > together to thwart this effort by politicians' > > electoral impulses. > > > > Please circulate the open protest letter to the CM > > (or your own letters *) > > or comments and petitions on this issue, as widely > > as possible amongst > > majority community, media, officials and > legislators > > and to the CM himself. > > This anti Hindu, anti secular, discriminatory > plan > > cannot be allowed to go > > through and undermine the age old cultural and > > spiritual infrastructure of > > the majority community in AP. Just imagine that > the > > minorities fight for > > every inch and every brick of their religious > places > > and here the survival > > of over 20,000 temples is at stake! > > > > Immediate action is required since he government > has > > initiated moves to take > > away temple lands. > > > > Beg everyone to spare sometime for this community > > service. > > > > Thanks for your time and effort. > > > > Krishan Bhatnagar > > Maryland, USA > > July 14, 2003 > > (on behalhf of many concerned citizens) > > > > * e.g. you may replace this cover note with views > on > > behalf of an > > organiztion or yourself > > > ============================================================= > > > > AN OPEN LETTER TO THE CHIEF MINISTER OF > > ANDHRA PRADESH > > > > ASSAULT ON HINDU TEMPLES - IS > THIS > > THE BEGINNING OF DENYING > > FREEDOM OF WORSHIP TO INDIA'S > > RELIGIOUS MAJORITY? > > > > Dear Chief Minister Naidu, > > > > At the very outset we express our appreciation for > > your stewardship in > > bringing about a technological revolution of sorts > > in AP particularly in the > > field of "information technology." Your innovative > > approach to this field > > has elevated AP to the position of a leader in the > > country - second only to > > Bangalore, resulting in a worldwide demand for the > > expertise built in your > > state. In deed such performance has cultivated a > > similar opportunity of > > leadership for you at the national level. For this > > distinctive progress in > > AP you have our admiration. However, we are > greatly > > saddened to notice that > > your policies are not as progressive, democratic > and > > secular uniformly. The > > case in point is your approach to the Hindu > temples > > and endowments trust. > > > > Mr. Naidu, your administration has launched a > > "virtual assault" against the > > Hindu temples as explained by its recent moves for > > depriving them of their > > landed properties (see attached News item). Such > > initiatives are radical, > > provocative and cut at the very roots of the > > separation of religion and > > state. These highly controversial moves have far > > reaching consequences as > > they flagrantly violate the principle that > > guarantees "freedom of religion" > > in the Indian Republic. If not withdrawn > forthwith > > they may result in > > social and communal disruption that is bound to > > evoke passions of India's > > indignant religious majority all over the world. > > > > The apparent argument that the dismantling of the > > fabric of the centuries > > old and time -tested structure of Hindu system of > > worship (by taking away > > temples' sustenance) is necessary for uplifting > the > > poor is as lame as it is > > unreal. Hindus in general and their places of > > worship in particular have > > never stood in the way of bringing about and > > administering social justice. > > In reality it is the unrealistic, discriminatory > and > > appeasement policies > > perpetrated by selfish politicians that prevented > > the realization of such > > goals. > > > > Mr. CM, the official figures from the endowment > > department reveal that the > > AP Govt.'s. assumptions about the landed > properties > > of the temples are > > basically short on facts and therefore, untenable. > > In that around 80% of the > > 27,000-odd temples have no income other than what > > they get from the vested > > lands (see attached News item). And once the lands > > are taken over, for want > > of resources the worship (puja) in these temples > > will come to a close > > leading to their inevitable closure. In reality > such > > an action will amount > > to denying the right to worship - the right that > has > > been guaranteed by the > > Indian Constitution. From the looks of it the > > decision under discussion > > seems to be politically motivated to dissuade the > > "Indian majority" from > > exercising their will against any unpopular > policies > > of the state Govt. > > > > Furthermore, the endowment records also confirm > that > > the authorities > > acquired temple lands for bus stations, police > > stations, Govt. offices, > > hospitals and power stations etc. several times in > > the past. Mr. Naidu, in a > > secular society these discriminatory actions > against > > a particular religious > > group must be considered highly questionable, > > inappropriate and > > unconstitutional. Over and above this your Govt. > has > > yet to reimburse Rs. 28 > > crores to the endowment dept. as cost of the > > acquired lands. In legal terms > > that is pure and simple "default." Which means > that > > the AP Govt. failed to > > pay and consequently failed as a trustee for > > ensuring the clean management > > of the Hindu endowments. These actions seriously > > jeopardize the preservation > > and propagation of Hindu cultural and spiritual > > values and therefore, calls > > for the total withdrawal of the state from > > controlling religious entities. > > The Indian system of jurist prudence and > > constitutional domain demands that > > the jurisdiction of managing religious entities > must > > reside in the members > > of their respective religious communities. > > > > Surely Mr. Chief Minister, the state Govt. has a > > right and responsibility > > of engaging in social and economic development of > > its citizens. But going to > > the extent of destroying the religious fabric of > the > > majority community for > > howsoever noble cause particularly in a > democratic, > > secular and freedom > > loving society is beyond its frame of reference. > > Only autocratic and > > totalitarian regimes engage in such acts of > > cultural destruction of people, > > not constitutional democracies. > > > > By demanding Rs. 36 crores from Lord Venkateswara > > Temple at Tirupati, not > > paying Rs. 28 crores, the cost of the already > > acquired lands and initiating > > measures to deprive the temples of their means of > > survival - in this case > > the meager lands they traditionally own, the AP > > Govt. has embarked upon an > > extremely explosive path that has the potential of > > unleashing volcanic > > eruptions capable of engulfing the Republics' > entire > > social system. This > > policy smacks of the reintroduction of Ghaznavi > and > > Aurangzeb's "Jazia" > > though with one difference. The present day > enforcer > > of the penalties is a > > Hindu Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Mr. > > Chandrababu Naidu. Isn't it a > > shame that on the one hand the Indian govt. > > subsidizes the "Haj" pilgrimage > > to the tune of Rs. 150 crores annually, on the > other > > the AP authorities are > > crusading to destroy the self- supporting > structure > > of the Hindu temples. To > > all, this represents an attack on Hinduism > itself. > > > > Frankly Mr. CM, these initiatives challenge the > very > > integrity of the > > nation's majority community. Slowly but surely > such > > a self-defeating and > > destructive policy is bound to give rise to > > fundamentalism across the > > board, thus plunging the nation once again in an > > avoidable communal strife. > > In Indian system of laws the marriage of state and > > religion is > > inconceivable. Therefore, it is incumbent upon the > > AP authorities to adhere > > to the laws of the nation and leave the domain of > > religions alone. Failure > > to do so may result in social and religious > > upheavals. > > > > CM Naidu, in order to avoid such a devastating > turn > > of events it is time for > > your administration to immediately revise its > policy > > towards the Hindu > > temples. Instead of attacking their sources of > > sustenance let the economic > > foundations of their self sufficiency be left in > > tact. Additionally, to > > execute the policy of separation of state and > > religion let the following > > measures be initiated in AP. That alone will > remove > > the apprehensions of the > > Hindu majority and hopefully restore their > > confidence in the Govt. of laws > > as against the authorities following the "laws of > > the jungle." > > > > 1) revoke the decision to take away lands meant > for > > maintenance which will > > result in closing of tens of thousands of temples > > depriving millions of > > people of cultural and spiritual centers ; > > 2) reimburse Rs 28 crores to the endowment > > department towards the value of > > the temple lands acquired earlier for bus > terminals, > > police stations, etc; > > and > > 3) hand over control of temples and endowments to > > representatives of > > majority community, as government's control is > > reverse discrimination > > against them, against the secular spirit of the > > constitution and handicaps > > the preservation and propagation of Hindu cultural > > and spiritual values. > > In this age of public participation in the > > management of social > > institutions, why Govt. control over places of > > worship ? These > > institutions must be allowed to function under > their > > own community control > > and management and be treated at par for > concessions > > and financial > > assistance as those for other religions. > > > > Thank you Mr. Chief Minister. We are looking > > forward to your positive > > action and a response. > > > > Your well wishers > > > > Concerned citizens > > July 14, 2003 > > > > > ================================================================ > > Now Naidu eyes temple lands > > Hindustan Times, July 07, 2003 > > Ashok Das > > (Hyderabad, July 6) > > > > The temple of Lord Venakateswara at Tirupati is > > lucky. The Andhra Pradesh > > government has finally backed off from its demand > > for Rs 36 crore from this > > cash-rich shrine, in the wake of public outcry and > a > > litigation in the high > > court. > > However, lesser known temples are not so lucky. > The > > government has initiated > > moves to take away temple lands and distribute > them > > among poorer sections in > > the name of social justice. According to endowment > > department sources, > > around 80 per cent of the 27,000-odd temples have > no > > income other than what > > they get from the vested lands. And once the lands > > are taken away, puja in > > many temples will have to be stopped. > > > > The decision to acquire endowment lands was > prompted > > after district > > collectors reported the unavailability of adequate > > government land and > > secondly because of litigation involving available > > lands. The government > > fixed a target of 8 lakh house site pattas this > > year, after Chief Minister > > Chandrababu Naidu made the announcement at the > TDP's > > Tirupati meet. > > > > Revenue officials said, the state needs around > > 40,000 acres to meet the > > target and by tapping endowment properties the > state > > could meet only one > > third of the requirement. 3,000 acres of land have > > been identified for > > acquisition. > > > > TDP leaders defend the government's stand. "The > > lands are under the temples' > > control for namesake only. The people cultivating > > them are giving little or > > nothing. At least this way, it will serve a better > > cause," said a TDP > > member. > > > > Opposition parties have assailed the move. "The > > endowment lands come free as > > government-appointed officials control the temples > > and few would dare to > > challenge the order," said a BJP leader. > > > > Endowment records show the government acquired > > temple lands several times in > > the past for bus stands, police stations, > government > > offices, hospitals, > > power stations etc. It was yet to reimburse Rs 28 > > crores to the endowment > > department towards the value of the acquired land. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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