Return icons to temples, says plea

‘Icon centres are run like museums’

MADURAI

A public interest litigation petition was filed before the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Monday seeking the transfer of icons from icon centres to local temples.

The petitioner, Periyanambi Narasimha Gopalan of Tirunelveli, claimed that devotees were aggrieved by the removal and transportation of idols to icon centres from temples without performing pujas or rituals and also the non-performance of pujas at icon centres.

The icon centres were established by the State government to protect icons in temples administered by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments department. Icons which were not worshipped or did not have sufficient protection in temples were deposited in the icon centres.

While removing icons from one place to another, pujas must be performed by qualified persons as per agamas. But no ritual was performed while removing icons from temples. They were not respected as per agamas. He added that there was no additional security at the icon centres where thefts occurred. They were merely run like museums, he said.

He claimed that devotees were not allowed to worship their icons, which was a violation of fundamental right, and sought the return of icons to local temples. He also sought strengthening of safety measures at temples.

A Division Bench of Justices C.T. Selvam and A.M. Basheer Ahamed adjourned the case by two weeks.