The Temples Protection Committee has registered its strong protest against the move of the Puducherry Government to alienate temple properties across the Union Territory at prevailing market rate or by e-auction to public.
P. Devanathan, a spokesperson of the Temples Protection Committee said people had donated land to the temples to ensure performance of daily rituals and the government’s move would defeat the purpose for which philanthropists had donated lands to the temples. The role of the government should be limited to protection of temple properties running into several thousands of crores. If the government alienates temple properties and sells them there would be no land left to the temples.
Puduchery temples would also be deprived of sources to carry out their routine religious activities. The government’s claim that it is necessary to dispose of the uncultivable lands in order to prevent encroachments by miscreants is not justified.
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The Temple Protection Committee would oppose “tooth and nail” any move to sell temple lands by the administration, Mr. Devanathan said and demanded immediate withdrawal of the Government Order.