Padmanabhaswamy temple : State submits takeover plan, says wealth won’t be attached

Margshirsh Krushna Paksh Trutiya, Kaliyug Varsh 5116

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : The state government has submitted an affidavit in the Supreme Court, expressing its willingness to take over the administration of Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple as per the recommendations of the high court. It, however, says the temple wealth will not be attached by the state.

The Travancore royal family, meanwhile, filed an affidavit in the apex court in response to amicus curiae Gopal Subramaniam’s report, stating that allegations and insinuations in it against the family and temple trustee are baseless.

Chief secretary Bharat Bhushan says in the affidavit that the government plans to create an authority on the lines of the Guruvayur devaswom board to administer the temple affairs with a nine-member committee, comprising representatives of the government, royal family, temple chief priest and employees.

A high court division bench had, on January 31, 2011, ordered the state administration to create a committee, within three weeks, to manage the temple. A petition filed by the royal family members against it is pending in the Supreme Court.

Royal family head and temple trustee Moolam Thirunal Rama Varma says in his affidavit that the amicus curiae is entitled to enter the temple during normal hours of worship. “Contrary to that, he arrived in a chartered flight together with his junior colleagues on March 1 this year and visited the temple the next day onwards and conducted even religious rites at the temple,” it says.

The affidavit says the public were restricted to enter and worship the Lord, until they raised objections, at which point the restrictions were lifted. “The action of the amicus curiae not only exceeded his authority but is also in direct violation of the freedom of conscience and practice of religion guaranteed by Article 25 of the Indian Constitution.”

Meanwhile, the state BJP unit has opposed the affidavit submitted by the state government. “Vesting the interests of the temple solely on the shoulders of the state government will be detrimental in the long run. Hindu organisations and devotees of the temple must surely have a say in its workings,” party state president V Muraleedharan said.

Source : Times Of India