Foreign writer opens our eyes.

The Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment Act of 1951 allows State Governments to take over
thousands of Hindus Temples and maintain complete control over their properties. It is claimed that they
can sell the temple assets and properties and use the money in any way they choose.
A charge has been made by a foreign writer, Stephen Knapp in a book (Crimes Against India and the
Need to Protect Ancient Vedic Tradition) published in the United States that makes shocking reading.
Hundreds of temples in centuries past have been built in India by devout rulers and the donations given
by devotees have been used for the benefit of the (other) people. This letter is what has been happening
currently under an intrusive law.
It would seem, for instance, that under a Temple Empowerment Act, about 43,000 temples in Andhra
Pradesh have come under government control and only 18 per cent of the revenue of these temples
have been returned for temple purposes, the remaining 82 per cent being used for purposes
unstated.
Even the world famous Tirumala Tirupati Temple has not been spared. According to Knapp, the
temple collects over Rs. 3,100 crores every year. The author tells that as much as 85 per cent of this is
transferred to the State Exchequer, much of which goes to causes that are not connected with the Hindu
community. Was it for that reason that devotees make their offering to the temples?
Another charge that has been made is that the Andhra Government has also allowed the demolition
of at least ten temples for the construction of a golf course. Imagine the outcry writes Knapp, if ten
mosques had been demolished.
It would seem that in Karanataka, Rs. 79 crores were collected from about two lakh temples and
from that amount temples received only Rs Seven crores for their maintenance, Muslim madrassas and
Haj subsidy were given Rs. 59 crore and churches about Rs. 13 crore. Because of this, Knapp writes, 25
per cent of the two lakh temples or about 50,000 temples in Karnataka will be closed down for lack of
resources, and he adds: The government continues to do this is because people have not stood up to
stop it.
Knapp then refers to Kerala where, funds from the Guruvayur Temple are diverted to other
government projects denying improvement to 45 Hindu temples. Land belonging to the Ayyappa
Temple, apparently has been grabbed and Church encroaches are occupying huge areas of forest land,
running into thousands of acres, near Sabarimala.
And to top it all, Knapp says that in Orissa, the state government intends to sell over 70,000 acres of
endowment lands from the Jagannath Temple, the proceeds of which would solve a huge financial
crunch brought about by its own mismanagement.
Says Knapp: Why such occurrences are so often not known is that the Indian media, especially the
English television and press, are often anti-Hindu in their approach, and thus not inclined to give much
coverage, and certainly no sympathy, for anything that may affect the Hindu community. Therefore, such
government action that play against the Hindu community go on without any attention attracted to them.
Says Knapp: Nowhere in the free, democratic world are the religious institutions managed, maligned
and controlled by the government, thus denying the religious freedom of the people of the country. But it is
happening in India. Government officials have taken control of Hindu temples because they recognise the
indifference of Hindus, they are aware of the unlimited patience and tolerance of Hindus.
Many Hindus are sitting and watching the demise of their culture. They need to express their views
loud and clear. It is time some one asked the Government to lay down all the facts on the table so that the
public would know what is happening behind its back. Temples are not for looting under any name.
T

Dr. Kailash Chandra

D-107, Anand Niketan,
New Delhi - 110021.
Mob. No.- 9899176787
E-mail- drkailashchandra@rediffmail.com