The Madras High Court on April 12 refused to stay the single judge order in the Ayodhya Mandapam case, allowing the Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) department to take over it. The high court also asked the department of HR&CE to file a response in the case.
The temple is located in Chennai’s T Nagar, and was run by the Sri Ram Samaj. An order was passed by then chief minister J Jayalalithaa to bring the temple under government’s control.
About Ayodhya Mandapam
Situated at West Mambalam in Chennai, the Ayodhya Mandapam was built in 1964 and maintained by Sri Ram Samaj. The temple was ordered to be brought under the HR&CE department in 2013 by then Tamil Nadu government following complaints that the Sri Ram Samaj was allegedly involved in financial irregularities. Ayodhya Mandapam is a devotional centre that regularly conducts religious discourses like ‘Homams’ (pujas) and ‘Radha Kalyanams’.
What is the Row About?
Last week, Justice VM Velumani issued an order dismissing the plea filed by Sri Ram Samaj in 2014. Later, an appeal was filed against the Madras High Court’s earlier order dismissing the plea. “Every year, the office-bearers are elected by the members of the society. It is not run by a single family. How can HR&CE take over administration of a secular school and a marriage hall?” senior advocate Satish Parasaran representing Sri Ram Samaj said.
After hearing the plea, a bench of Justices M Duraiswamy and TV Tamilselvi refused to stay the earlier order and also granted the HR&CE department time to file a counter affidavit. The case has been adjourned till April 21, ordering the Tamil Nadu government and the HR&CE department to respond.
Following this, nearly 60 people staged a protest in front of the Ayodhya Mandapam located in West Mambalam against the takeover of it by the HR&CE department. All were arrested and let off later. The police have registered a case against the protesters for offences punishable under four sections of IPC. Apparently, state BJP chief Annamalai condemned the incident, while party members alleged that the DMK government’s move to take over the Mandapam was politically motivated.
The History
President of Sri Ram Samaj S Ravichandran alleged that HR&CE’s takeover is illegal as the Ayodhya Mandapam is not a temple. He further said no idol was installed in the Mandapam for worship but portraits of Lord Rama, Sita and Hanuman have been placed for pujas. Nevertheless, the HR&CE said the Ayodhya Mandapam is a public temple and that there were offerings through Hundi (a bill of exchange).
The HR&CE Act empowers the Tamil Nadu government to be in charge of the administration of over 40,000 temples and over 50 mutts in the state. While churches and mosques and madrassas in the state are run by the members of the respective community followers, Hindu temples have the control of the government.
Meanwhile, chief minister MK Stalin in the state assembly had said the decision to take over the temple was taken only after continuous complaints of mismanagement in Ayodhya Mandapam and not to politicise the issue.
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