Tenants of mutt and temple lands seek ownership rights: The TN Government scam to grab the Temple lands

Tenants of mutt and temple lands seek ownership rights: The TN Government scam to grab the Temple lands

Vedaprakash

vedamvedaprakash@yahoo.com

The “Dravidian” Political parties looting the Temples: The 40 years “Dravidian”, atheist and Godless government has proved beyond doubt that the “Dravidian” politicians, their heirs and agents have looted the properties of temples by all means. The stealing, replacing and substitution of valuable Icons, jewellery and other items have been the part of such systematic looting, but carefully suppressed from the eyes of public and Tamil devotees. Though the so-called Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment Board[1] (H. R. & C. E) has been there, as it is controlled by such evidently anti-Hindu, “Dravidian” and atheist forces, they have just using the department for getting the documents, meddling with cases and manipulating to grab the properties.

Shameless Karunanidhi heading the HR & CE: Karunanidhi has combined the three departments – Tamil development, Information and HR & CE together and ruling indirectly exercising his control. The G.Os are issued from one or the other department purposely creating legal wrangles, so that when the connected go to courts, they get favourable orders.

Minister for Tamil Development	Dr. Kalaignar M Karunanidhi, Chief Minister	Phone:  25672345 (O),    28115225 (R)
Minister for Information	Thiru Parithi Ellamvazhuthi	Phone: 25679136 (O),    24936878 (R)
Minister for HR&CE	Thiru K. R. Periakaruppan	Phone:  25673036 (O),    24957203 (R)

Tirukkural and Tirumanthiram: Without any meaning or reason, Tirukkural is quoted for his running the administration in accordance with the sayings of Saint Thiruvalluvar, forgetting Tirumular. Though the Government headed by Dr.Kalaignar which assumed office on 13.5.2006 is running the administration in accordance with the sayings of Saint Thiruvalluvar[2].

“bfhilmë br§nfhš FoX«gš eh‹F«

cilahdh« ntªj®¡F xë”

which means, “He is the light of kings who has the four qualities, viz., beneficence, benevolence, rectitude, and care for his people”, and claims so[3], that he has been doing exactly opposite is proved by his unholy acts. Tirumular[4] has warned that even a brick from the compound wall of temple falls, the ruler would be doomed. But, people of Tamilnadu know how many temples themselves have fallen down under the 40 years rule and they should realize the consequences and present happenings.

Document placed in the net to cover up the land grabbing: The document gives the following details and reveal alarming details in grabbing the temple lands and properties:

“Under the administrative control of this Department there are 38,460 religious Institutions including Temples, Mutt and Charitable Endowments as given below:

1. Temples 36,420

2. Mutts 56

3. Temples attached to Mutts 57

4. Specific Endowments 1,721

5. Charitable Endowments 189

6. Jain temples 17

TOTAL 38,460

The above religious institutions have been classified as given below on the basis of income:-

Sl. No.	Classifications of Religious Institutions	Numbers
1.	Notified Non-listed institutions falling under section 49 with an annual income below Rs.10, 000/-	34,246
2.	Notified Listed Institutions (i) Falling under Section 46(i), with an annual income of more than Rs.10,000 but less than Rs.2 lakhs. (ii) Falling under Section 46(ii), with an annual income of more than Rs.2 lakhs but less than 10 lakhs. Falling under section 46(iii), with an annual income of more than Rs.10 lakhs.	3,535 498 181
	Total	38,460

The details given in the official document gives the following details, which may have to be verified with the temple inscriptions, copper plate grants and other documents, as the figures appear to be less as compared to the temples still existing.

Nature of the land	Temple Lands	Mutt Lands	Total Lands
	Acre-Cents	Acre-Cents	Acre-Cents
Wet	1,83,744.33	21,282.05	2,05,026.38
Dry	2,18,439.49	34,543.15	2,52,982.64
Maanavari	20,746.33	—	20,746.33
Total	4,22,930.15	55,825.20	4,78,755.35

The agriculture lands owned by the Temples and Mutts are cultivated by 1,23,729 lessees. The Buildings and sites belonging to the Religious Institutions are being enjoyed by 22,600 tenants and 33,665 tenants respectively.

REVENUE COURTS: Issues like fixation of fair rent, collection of rental arrears, evicting the defaulters, etc., between the registered tenants under the Cultivating Tenants Protection Act 1955 and the temples in respect of lands owned by the Religious Institutions are settled through the Revenue Courts. Revenue Courts have been set up at the following places presided by Special Deputy Collectors.

REGULAR COURTS CAMP COURTS

1.Thanjavur 1.Mannargudi

2.Tiruchirappalli 2.Kumbakonam

3. Mayiladuthurai 3.Salem

4.Thiruvarur 4.Thenkasi

5.Cuddalore

6. Madurai

As on 31.12.2007, 23240 cases have been filed before these Courts to collect arrears of rent amounting to Rs.26.42 crores. Out of this, 10,737 cases have been disposed and an amount to the tune of Rs.8.89 crores have been ordered to be paid in favour of temples. Steps have been taken to collect the same. 12503 cases are pending adjudication involving an amount of Rs.17.53 crores.

STREAMLINING THE FAIR RENT FOR BUILDINGS AND SITES BELONGING TO RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS: In G.O.Ms.No.353 dated 04.6.1999 Tamil Development, Culture and Religious Endowments, guidelines have been issued for fixation of fair rent in respect of Buildings and Sites belonging to Religious Institutions. Considering several representations received by the Government for reducing the rate of fair rent for residential buildings and sites and the enhancement of rent by 33.3% every three years, and based on the recommendations of the Advisory Committee, the Government have issued orders in G.O. MS.No.456 Tamil Development, Religious Endowments and Information Department dated 9.11.2007, reducing the fair rent of the residential sites and buildings by half of the earlier rent and the enhancement of rent once in three years from 33.3% to 15%. It is estimated that 56,265 tenants will be benefited due to these measures. During the process of settlement proceedings and updating of registry, the land pattas in the name of the Temples under the control of this department were transferred in the name of private individuals by mistake. In order to rectify these mistakes by early disposal of the appeals filed by the Temples within the stipulated time, orders have been issued by the Government on 22.2.2008 creating two posts of District Revenue Officers along with the supporting staff, with Headquarters at Madurai and Coimbatore.

Dubious conference for legalizuing the temple-land grab: Thus, it has been a systematic and orchestrated act of Karunandhi, to grab the temple lands aiding and abetting with the so-called evading tenants. Now, if any one reads the report, the background of such dubious conference is amply revealed:

Tenants of mutt and temple lands seek ownership rights By Special Correspondent in “The Hindu” dated 27-08-2008 http://www.hindu.com/2008/08/27/stories/2008082754930600.htm NAGAPATTINAM: The State conference of the tenants of the lands of temples, religious mutts, charitable trusts and other worshipping places, has urged the Government to confer ownership rights. The State conference of `Kuthagai Vivasayigal Paadukappu’ (tenant farmers protection) organised by the Tamizhaga Vivasayigal Sangam and All India Agricultural Workers Union held here on Sunday. The conference presided over by K. Mohamed Ali, president of Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam, was inaugurated by G. Veeraiyan, CPI-M leader and former MLA. All India Farmers Association national secretary K.Varadarajan, K.Balakrishnan, Tamil Nadu State general secretary, V. Marimuthu, CPI(M) MLA of Nagapattinam, A.V. Murugaiyan, Nagapattinam district secretary of CPI(M) and others addressed the conference. The conference passed a resolution requesting the Government to set up State and district-level committees to assess the entire lands and other properties held by temples, mutts, charitable trusts and other places of worship. The conference wanted the Government to confer ownership right to the tenants of the temple and other lands cultivated by them and fix a nominal price for the land at 10 years rent being paid by the tenants and urged the Government to make the payment to the temple and mutt authorities and collect the amount in instalments from the tenants. The conference urged the Government to waive all the arrears of rent due by the tenants to the temples, mutts, etc and withdraw the eviction orders issued by the revenue courts against tenants. By a resolution, the conference wanted the Government to take steps to register the names of all unregistered tenants of temple lands and places of worship.

The confession and conference: Stage managed? Note the language of the resolutions passed by the conference:

N The conference passed a resolution requesting the Government to set up State and district-level committees to assess the entire lands and other properties held by temples, mutts, charitable trusts and other places of worship.

N The conference wanted the Government to confer ownership right to the tenants of the temple and other lands cultivated by them and fix a nominal price for the land at 10 years rent being paid by the tenants and urged the Government to make the payment to the temple and mutt authorities and collect the amount in instalments from the tenants.

N The conference urged the Government to waive all the arrears of rent due by the tenants to the temples, mutts, etc and withdraw the eviction orders issued by the revenue courts against tenants.

Who are these people to ask such things?

Muslims and Communists have been tenants and lessees? Ironically, the involved persons of the conference dealing with the lands of temples, religious mutts, charitable trusts and other worshipping places have been Muslims and communists (of all categories representing). What interests they have or how they could be tenants and lessees of the lands of temples, religious mutts, charitable trusts and other worshipping places? This appears to be a great scam on the earth fooling Hindus by all means. Therefore, there is a strong reason to believe that all these anti-Hindu forces – DK-DMK, Communist and Mohammedan forces have been working together consciously to grab the lands of temples[5], religious mutts, charitable trusts and other worshipping places and they have been aiding, abetting and colluding with each other.

All G.Os passed by the Government should be made null and void: The G.O.Ms.No.353 dated 04.6.1999 Tamil Development, Culture and Religious Endowment and G.O. MS.No.456 Tamil Development, Religious Endowments and Information Department dated 9.11.2007 have been highly dubious issued with malafide intention to transfer the lands illegally. There is a doubt that in recent granting “lands” to “landless” also such manipulations could have been there. The following has been alarming and it is just to fool the citizens legally:

N When there are three separate ministers and department, GO is issued combining the three: In G.O.Ms.No.353 dated 04.6.1999 Tamil Development, Culture and Religious Endowments, guidelines have been issued for fixation of fair rent in respect of Buildings and Sites belonging to Religious Institutions.

N Reduction of rent, a fraud: Considering several representations received by the Government for reducing the rate of fair rent for residential buildings and sites and the enhancement of rent by 33.3% every three years, and based on the recommendations of the Advisory Committee, the Government have issued orders in G.O. MS.No.456 Tamil Development, Religious Endowments and Information Department dated 9.11.2007, reducing the fair rent of the residential sites and buildings by half of the earlier rent and the enhancement of rent once in three years from 33.3% to 15%.

N Benefit is to the politicians, their heirs and agents: It is estimated that 56,265 tenants will be benefited due to these measures.

N Temple lands transferred to Individuals by mistake! During the process of settlement proceedings and updating of registry, the land pattas in the name of the Temples under the control of this department were transferred in the name of private individuals by mistake.

N Two more posts created to loot: In order to rectify these mistakes by early disposal of the appeals filed by the Temples within the stipulated time, orders have been issued by the Government on 22.2.2008 creating two posts of District Revenue Officers along with the supporting staff, with Headquarters at Madurai and Coimbatore.

TN Govt urged to return temple lands: The question of temple land-grabbing by the TN politicians, particularly, the ruling one has come for discussion, ever since the fight for shops at Sri Vuilliputtur temple came out some two decades ago. In August 1997, Dr Subramanian Swamy[6] urged the Tamil Nadu Government to return all the “stolen, forcibly occupied or stealthily-sold temple lands” to the temples so that religious functions in the temples could be self-sustaining and self-reliant. In a statement here, he said if the DMK Government did not take steps to return the lands by September 15, the Janata Party would launch a “massive uprising” on the issue. He alleged that many DMK-TMC leaders’ were the main culprits in grabbing temple lands.

There have been Supreme Court judgments revealing such frauds of transferring temple lands to “individuals” by illegal means. To cite one example[7], the Executive Officer of Sri Swarnathaneswar temple Chithaimoor, Tamil Nadu – Shivashanmugam was in occupation of six cents of temple land (situated behind his house) approached the officer in June, 1987 for securing a patta in his favour in respect of the said land and he advised him to apply to the concerned authorities, namely, the Deputy Commissioner and the Assistant Commissioner (Endowments) and that he would help him in securing the patta. Accordingly, the transfer was made and patta issued.

There have been interference with the practices[8] followed in temples, bring private temples[9] under HR & CE, also through litigation by the government through the cases foisted by the Commissioners of HR & CE.

The proceedings of the “Revenue courts” should be made public: The proceedings of the so-called “Revenue courts” have also been dubious, as they are not made to public. That important issues like fixation of fair rent, collection of rental arrears, evicting the defaulters, etc., between the registered tenants under the Cultivating Tenants Protection Act 1955 and the temples in respect of lands owned by the Religious Institutions are settled through the Revenue Courts has been questionable considering the irregularities. That the Revenue Courts have been set up at the places (as mentioned above) presided by Special Deputy Collectors has also been untenable.

Cases pending involving crores of revenue: The document further confesses that “As on 31.12.2007, 23240 cases have been filed before these Courts to collect arrears of rent amounting to Rs.26.42 crores. Out of this, 10,737 cases have been disposed and an amount to the tune of Rs.8.89 crores have been ordered to be paid in favour of temples. Steps have been taken to collect the same. 12503 cases are pending adjudication involving an amount of Rs.17.53 crores”, has also not been convincing the background of the persons involved and the serious irregularities noted.

The Act amended during the reign of Karunanidhi for manipulations: Officially it is claimed that, “With a view to oversee the administration of Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments in a proper manner, it was decided in the year 1991, that Religious and spiritual leaders should be involved in the proper maintenance and administration of Hindu and Jain Temples and Charitable Endowments and that their suggestions and guidance should be obtained regarding the administration of Charitable Endowments. Accordingly, many amendments were brought to the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act, 1959.

M As a result of this, the Amendment Act, 1991 (Amended Act 46/91) was enacted.

M As per the Amendment Act, a two-tier system (i.e.)

[ Temple Administration Board at State level and

[ District Committees at District level was established. This Amendment Act came into force on 13-12-1991.

M The Government which came to power during 1996, disbanded the Temple Administration Board and District Committees and entrusted the administration of Hindu Religious Institutions with the Commissioner and the Subordinate Officers so as to make it as it existed prior to the Amendment Act, 1991 and enacted Amendment Act, 1996 (Tamil Nadu Amended Act 39/1996). This Act is in force since 9-12-1996.

Of course, GOs were issued surreptiously defeating the very purpose of Hindu Religious Endowment made by many devotees and philanthropists.

What AG and Local Fund Audits are doing? Definitely, the audits of Accountant General and Local Fund have either ignored the scam or the auditors must have been taken care of, as definitely, it is unbelievable that such learned and trained auditors they could not have noticed these illegal GOS issued land transfers effected. Here also, Karunanidhi has been clever enough to cover up the AG’s audit objections. Earlier, there had been an audit on the Tirivalluvar Statue construction at Kanyakumari, in which crores of rupees were swindled by raising bogus vouchers, but the fresults are not known, though English papers reported about the audit objection. However, here, nothing has been reported, but the official website itself boldly declared: “During the process of settlement proceedings and updating of registry, the land pattas in the name of the Temples under the control of this department were transferred in the name of private individuals by mistake.”

Irreligious CM should resign for the scam: It has been a scam carried on by the government itself headed by principle less, immoral and debauched rulers. And therefore, the CM has been squarely responsible. In spite of all these happenings, it is astonishing that he has been making all sorts of anti-Hindu statements right inside the TN Assembly and as well as outside, which are too well known to be repeated here. Thus, his intentions are proved beyond doubt and he has and his colleagues have no moral right to heads these departments and they should resign immediately. Immediately, high-level probe should be ordered to find out the facts involved in the case, GOs and the land transfers.

Note: I have prepared this hurriedly and I require more documents to add more details in the context. I shall be thankful, anyone who could prove such details and they would be acknowledged and recorded.

VEDAPRAKASH

27-08-2008

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[1] The Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment Act (XXII) of 1959 came into force with effect from 1st January 1960.

[2] See the site.

[3] TAMIL DEVELOPMENT, RELIGIOUS ENDOWMENTS AND INFORMATION DEPARTMENT, HINDU RELIGIOUS AND CHARITABLE ENDOWMENTS DEPARTMENT, DEMAND NO.47, POLICY NOTE, 2008-2009, p.no.3, http://www.tn.gov.in/policynotes/pdf/HR_and_CE.pdf

[4] Though, he has been fond of quoting from Siddhars, he would not do so when such poems are against his policy of temple-looting.

[5] DMK man held for ‘land grab’ at http://newstodaynet.com/newsindex.php?id=10191%20&%20section=7

Four held for occupying temple land, Times of India dated 25 Aug 2008, 0231 hrs IST,TNN,

http://www1.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Chennai/Four_held_for_occupying_temple_land/articleshow/3400820.cms

PMK, DMK trade land grab charges : www.nerve.in/news:253500113589

DMK Councillor in land grabbing case see at: http://news.oneindia.in/2008/02/07/dmk-councillor-in-land-grabbing-case-1202381030.html

[6] Indian Express, August 18, 1997, see at: http://www.indianexpress.com/res/web/pIe/ie/daily/19970818/23050493.html

[7] T. Subramaniam versus State of Tamilnadu, http://judis.nic.in/supremecourt/qrydisp.asp?tfnm=27410

[8] SC settlement in Kancheepuram temple case, Indian Express dated September 8, 199: see at:

http://www.indianexpress.com/res/web/pIe/ie/daily/19980908/25150154.html

[9] Nallor Marthandam Vellalar & Ors. Vs.The Commissioner, Hindu Religions and Charitable Endowments and Ors. See at : http://www.indlii.org/JudgementDetail.aspx?JudgementID=292

குறிச்சொற்கள்: Add new tag, atheist interference, இந்துவிரோத பேச்சுகள், கருணாநிதி, சித்தாந்த முரண்பாடு, நாத்திகம், வியாபாரத்தில் ஆத்திகமும் நாத்திகமும், வீரமணி நாத்திகம், temple land grabbing