Controversy has erupted over the Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department’s statements before the Madras High Court regarding land sales belonging to the Natarajar Temple in Chidambaram. The HR&CE Department initially claimed that the Podhu Dikshitars, the traditional temple custodians, sold over 2,000 acres of temple land—a statement that has now been drastically revised to just 18 acres, sparking accusations of deception.
During a hearing on 19 September 2024, the HR&CE Special Government Pleader informed the court that the temple’s low annual revenue of ₹93,000 was due to extensive land sales allegedly carried out by the Podhu Dikshitars, amounting to more than 2,000 acres. The division bench, taken aback by this substantial figure, demanded concrete proof to substantiate the claim.
On 24 October 2024, when the case resumed, the HR&CE Department altered its stance, now stating that only 18 acres of temple land had been sold—12.5 acres to Sri Ramulu Naidu and another 5.5 acres to Annamalai University, in transactions that took place decades ago in 1974, 1985, and 1988. The drastic reduction from 2,000 acres to 18 acres, representing less than 1% of the initial claim, has intensified criticism of the department, with many questioning its credibility and calling the move a shameless fraud.
Not even 1% truth in what @tnhrcedept stated before Madras High Court –
On Sep 19 when the Hon'ble Division Bench hearing temple matters asked the Special Govt Pleader for @tnhrcedept –
why is the Special Tasildhar working for the HR&CE Commissioner collecting only… pic.twitter.com/o33WHUvtAZ— trramesh (@trramesh) October 24, 2024
Senior counsel C.S. Vaidyanathan, representing the Podhu Dikshitars, denied any sale of temple property, countering the HR&CE’s accusations and requesting an independent inquiry by a retired High Court judge to confirm the temple’s land holdings. He also asserted that all temple jewelry was accounted for, dismissing any suggestions of mismanagement.
The Podhu Dikshitars also filed a sealed cover detailing the temple’s revenue and expenditures for the years 2018 to 2022, as directed by the court.
The bench has ordered the Dikshitars to submit a counter affidavit to the HR&CE report and has adjourned the case until 14 November 2024. With accusations of fraud and deception mounting, the HR&CE Department faces intense public scrutiny over its handling of the case, as well as broader concerns about the management of Hindu temple assets in Tamil Nadu.
The Podhu Dikshitars have refuted the Tamil Nadu government’s claims before the Madras High Court that they sold land belonging to Chidambaram’s Natarajar Temple. U Vengatesa Dikshitar, temple committee secretary, and lawyer G Chandrasekhar explained that temple lands, totaling around 3,000 acres, are controlled by a special tahsildar under a government order, with income from these lands sometimes directly allocated to TANGEDCO for electricity bills.
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