Drawing parallels with religious exclusivity in Christian and Islamic institutions, Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan has stirred fresh debate with his pointed remarks, questioning why non-Hindus are involved in temple administration. In a candid interview with Thanthi TV, Kalyan compared the situation to the Church, asking if a Hindu could serve on a church committee.
Pawan Kalyan Interview With Thanthi TV
The impurity in the Tirupati Laddu prasadam controversy is just cooling down, but Jana Sena leader’s strong statements are still echoing among the public. Against this backdrop, Thanthi TV aired an interview with Deputy CM Kalyan, and the entire interview had him spit facts and truths on temple administration.
When asked about why only Hindus should administer temples, Kalyan said, “If you go to the Vatican, there will not be a single Hindu. If it is a Catholic there, there will only be Catholic believers there. If you go to any Seventh-Day Adventist, only members from that sect of Christianity will be there. It is so clear. If you go to a Sunni masjid or a Shia masjid, so many subdivisions are there, and each masjid will have its own group. It is not even run by within Muslims also, within Christians also, each place will have only its members. They say only they know about that faith. A Catholic guy will know better about his own system and not someone else, forget about other religions.”
Kalyan continued, “What has happened in our country is, there are Christians and Muslims. It is not about Christianity or Islam. The fundamental question is do you let it happen to a masjid or a church? Can a Hindu be in a Church’s committee? When it comes to decision-making there, can practicing Hindus be a part of the committee? Will they allow it?
Here, it is a government job. We’ve been speaking to Lord Balaji’s devotees. What they say is not to bring people of other religions into the temple administration; it is hurting our sentiments.”
The interviewer then asked about Sanatana Dharma being accommodative of all streams of thought and whether it would not apply in this case. Pawan Kalyan replied, “That is 100% right. But only when I show my love and affection. But to interfere in your puja. You have a puja room, if I go to a masjid dressed like this (points to his saffron robes), do you think they will allow it? Only when it comes to Hinduism, you talk about secularism.”
The interviewer then says it is about belief, that KJ Yesudas’s bhakti is greater than his own, and that we cannot look at him as a Christian; that belief is subjective. Pawan Kalyan replied, “That is not wrong. I respect that. KJ Yesudas is a greater Hindu than anybody else. Yes, we do not see him as a Christian. Yes, belief is subjective, but do you allow it in another place? Agama Shastra says certain people know their job better than anyone else. See it as a way of functioning. Me being a Hindu, can I understand the requirements of a Muslim devotee, it better be a Muslim.”
When Churches can be run
by Christians belonging to specific subdivisions and Masjids can be run by Musims belonging to specific subdivisions, why should Temples be run by non-Hindus?
Hard hitting facts and questions from Shri @PawanKalyan garu.
Secularism cannot be one way!!! pic.twitter.com/mjm0YPA1H0— Arvinth Easwaran (@arvinth_e) October 2, 2024
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