DMK president M. Karunanidhi on Friday urged the Tamil Nadu government to appoint a senior counsel to argue the case of the appointment of Executive Officer (EO) to manage the endowments and vast immovable property of the Sabhanayagar Temple, better known as Nataraja Temple in Chidambaram. In a statement here, he said the government should not remain indifferent to the issue because the order for appointment of the EO was issued during the DMK regime.
“The order was issued as early as in 1987 when M.G. Ramachandran was Chief Minister. Since Podu Dikshitars had obtained a stay it could not be implemented. It came into force only in 2009,” he said, adding the government should not give room for the Dikshitars to appropriate the situation in their favour. The DMK leader said both MGR and R.M. Veerappan, who held the portfolio of the Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments Department, were believers and they decided to appoint an EO after AIADMK member V.V. Swaminathan made serious allegations against the Dikshitars.
“When the Dikshitars approached the court, the government argued that the EO was appointed as there were large-scale irregularities in the temple. Justice Bhanumathi of the High Court in 2009 allowed the government to appoint the EO,” he said.
