The seemingly endless string of arbitrary actions by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment (HR&CE) department continues unabated. Adding to an already substantial list of grievances, the department has now appointed its executives to the management committee of Arulmigu Palaniandavar Arts College for Women in Palani. This move blatantly violates both the Tamil Nadu Private Schools (Regulation) Act, 2018, and the Tamil Nadu Private Colleges (Regulation) Act, 1976.
Temple activist TR Ramesh, on 30 May 2024, issued a notice urging the Secretary of the Religious Endowments Department of the Government of Tamil Nadu and the Commissioner to take action. Ramesh demands the removal of the Commissioner and all departmental personnel from the management committees of schools and colleges affiliated with Hindu temples.
In a letter addressed to the Secretary of the Government of Tamil Nadu, Tourism, Religious Endowments, and Culture Department at Fort St. George, Chennai 600 009, and The Commissioner of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department at Nungambakkam High Road, Chennai 600 034, TR Ramesh wrote, “Educational Institutions run by Hindu ‘Temples and Endowments and whose management is illegally controlled by the officials of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department — these officials are placed in the ‘Management Committees of such schools and colleges without any legal authority to do so – Imparting of instruction in the Hindu Religion, an essential purpose in starting such schools and colleges with temple/endowment funds and properties NOT carried out even after many years of inception of these schools and colleges. You are called upon to
- (a) remove the Commissioner and all servants of the HR&CE Department from the Management Committees of schools and colleges belonging to Hindu Religious Institutions with immediate effect and leave the constitution of the appropriate management committee of schools and colleges with the trustees of the respective temples/endowments in accordance of the Private School Regulation Act, 2019 and in accordance with the Tamil Nadu Private Colleges Regulation Act, 1976 respectively
- (b) Introduce stream of courses that carry out instructions in the Hindu Religion and particularly in the instructions pertaining to the religious denomination of the temples/ endowments to which such schools and colleges belong“
Taking this matter to his official X account TR Ramesh stated, “I have today issued notice to Secretary – Religious Endowments Department – Government of Tamil Nadu and the Commissioner of @tnhrcedept to remove the Commissioner and all servants of the Department from the Management Committees of schools and colleges that belong to Hindu Temples. Besides occupying Hindu Temples by FRAUD for more than 70 years another serious violation of law and Hindu Dharma – carried out by the @tnhrcedept is the illegal occupation of the Management Committees of Schools and Colleges belonging to Hindu Schools.”
“The instrumentalities of the HR&CE Department control every aspect of these educational institutions which are HINDU schools and colleges. They treat them as SECULAR institutions. According to the Tamil Nadu Private Schools (Regulation) Act, 2018 and the Tamil Nadu Private Colleges (Regulation) Act, 1976 the Commissioner and the HR&CE officials have no authority to be present in the School and College Management Committees. The illegal management committees also get to decide appointment of teaching and non-teaching staff all administrative expenses and tenders for major works and purchases in the schools and colleges.“, he said.
“These are naturally Capital Gains for those in power. The main reason of illegal occupation of Hindu schools and colleges by HR&CE officials. Another major fraud carried out by the Department is the denial of teaching HINDU Religion as a prime subject in these schools and colleges. This is a basic requirement in starting this colleges as per the TN HR&CE Act. Hon’ble Division Bench of the Madras High Court in its interim order dated 15.11.2021 in a PIL filed by me clearly stated that the pious purpose of the temples in starting the colleges should not be forgotten while giving general education. But as usual, TN Govt and the @tnhrcedept continue to violate the law and court orders. If they do NOT take appropriate action within 4 weeks, I shall file a Writ Petition seeking to remove the misfits from Management Committees of schools and Colleges of Hindu Temples.“, he further added.
I have today issued notice to Secretary – Religious Endowments Department – Government of Tamil Nadu and the Commissioner of @tnhrcedept to remove the Commissioner and all servants of the Department from the Management Committees of schools and colleges that belong to Hindu… pic.twitter.com/w0cdauij7P
— trramesh (@trramesh) May 30, 2024
(Screenshot From Official Page of Arulmigu Palaniandavar Arts College for Women)
Here it is disclosed that the president, correspondent, and all members of the management committee are executives from the HR&CE department. This echo concerns raised in a previous case by former idol wing IG Ponn Manickavel, who warned of widespread corruption when an entire administrative chain is solely managed by the department’s employees. In this instance, the college operates with funds from the Palani Dhandayuthapani Swamy Temple under the HR&CE and having the management committee comprised solely of department personnel goes against the principles of checks and balances and transparency.
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