Tension prevailed at Sitarama Kalyana Mandapam at Satyanarayanapuram when Endowments officials took possession of the facility and did not allow Bhuvaneswari Peetham pontiff Sachidanda Bharati to enter the premises. Local residents were up in arms against the department’s move.
Officials of the Endowments, Revenue and Police Departments reached the function hall on Friday to take possession of it. They stated that they were following court orders. Residents who were vehemently opposing it alleged that Vijayawada (Central) MLA Bonda Umamheswara Rao had scripted the episode.
Kalyana Mandapam Dharmadhikari Dumalapati Chandrasekhar accused the officials of violating the orders issued by Endowments Commissioner in 2010 against taking possession of the mandapam. “More so, the officials did not respond, though we insisted on showing us the certified copy of the court order,” he said.
Former MLA and Congress city president Malladi Vishnu said that the Endowments Department did not follow the procedures. They should have given notice to the Mandapam Management/Trustees before taking possession of it, he said.
“Mr. Umamaheswara Rao has mounted pressure on the department for his vested interests. The MLA and the State government have hurt the sentiments of local residents,” he said.
The Kalyana Mandapam has been serving the needs of poor and middle class residing in Satyanarayanapuram and its vicinity.
The hall is being used for religious discourses, marriages and etc., he said, adding that they would launch an agitation, if the government did not respond positively to the residents demands.
A philanthropist donated more than 580 sq. yards to the temple to take Annadanam regularly. Later, a function hall was constructed on the site.
The function hall management and Endowments Department have been locking horns over its ownership since 2010.
Officials say they are following the court order, while locals allege vested interests behind the move
