Thanking the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Minister P. K. Sekar Babu for retrieving 9.58 acre land belonging to Sri Gowri Vinayagar Temple here swiftly, Bharatiya Janata Party leader H. Raja said that the court directives were more than sufficient to retrieve the temple lands in Tamil Nadu.
Speaking to reporters here on Monday, he said that the High Court had, through various judgments, spelt out the need for the HR & CE department to retrieve temple lands which remained encroached for so many years. The Minister, who was in Sivaganga on Sunday, told reporters that the DMK government would take action to retrieve temple lands, if BJP leader Mr. Raja gave the details.
In response, Mr. Raja said that the records were very clear on donors who had gifted thousands of acres of lands and buildings for the temples across Tamil Nadu. The government should focus on retrieving the temple lands and not indulge in politics. The encroachers should be evicted, he said.
There were temple lands encroached in Kancheepuram, Chennai City (Adyar) and so many other locations, Mr. Raja said.
To a query on Karnataka government constructing a dam across Mekedatu, he said that it should be dropped and condemned the move.
