Minister for Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) P.K. Sekarbabu on Wednesday said that the land on which the Sabhanayakar (Natarajar) Temple in Chidambaram was located belonged entirely to the government.
Addressing presspersons after inspecting the Ekambaranathar Matriculation School on Poonamallee High Road here, he said that the Chidambaram Tahsildar had checked records and clarified that the 13.1 hectares of land were classified as government poromboke. A committee of officials of the HR&CE had also checked.
The Minister said that the temple had not been constructed by the Podu Dikshitars but by the kings of yore, which meant that, by default, the ownership now rested with the government. The HR&CE was only seeking details of income and expenditure, properties and jewelry gifted by kings and devotees, and it was the duty of the Dikshitars to submit it to the department, which was only doing its own duty.
Asked if the department was planning to respond to a contempt petition by the dikshitars, Mr. Sekarbabu said the department would respond accordingly. Commissioner HR&CE J. Kumaragurubaran was also present during the inspection.
