The massive `Haindava Sankharavam’ held at Kesarapalli, near Vijayawada on Sunday by Vishwa Hindu Parishad, has demanded for temples be given autonomy and to abolish the department of Endowment. Large number of seers, religious leaders and Peetadhipathis have given a call for everyone to work together to protect Hinduism.
It has resolved asking the state and central governments to immediately amend the law to provide complete autonomy to temples, provide protection to temples, and immediately remove non-religious employees from them. Swamijis and saints lamented that they had protected temples even during foreign rule, but they have not been able to protect them after independence.
VHP National President Alok Kumar made it clear that the central and state governments should not have control over the temples. He demanded that the respective governments themselves voluntarily hand them over to the Hindus.
VHP All India General Secretary Milind Parande expressed his concern that if the powerful temples in our society were taken over by foreigners before independence, then unfortunately the governments are controlling them after that. He said that he had requested Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan to give them back to the Hindu community.
He deplored that ‘due to the influence of foreign culture, evils like cohabitation, drug use, caste discrimination and love jihad are increasing in our society. The birth rate of Hindus in the country is decreasing. Only if there is a Hindu community, temples will be protected and culture will be preserved.’
The organizing committee announced a declaration at the end of the Haindava Sankharavam. This declaration, consisting of 12 points, was announced by VHP Central Event Secretary Koteswar Sharma on the stage. He said that the draft of the Temples Autonomy Act, prepared with the suggestions of the Hindu community, saints, jurists and Peethadhipas, was recently presented to Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu. Later, he said that he also discussed this with Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan.
He said that the draft was also presented to the Central Government. The declaration demanded that strict action should be taken against those who commit illegal attacks. It said that it is inappropriate to impose restrictions on Vinayaka Chavithi and Dussehra celebrations. Pujas, prasads and kainkaryam in temples should be performed with devotion and non-religious employees in Hindu temples should be removed immediately, it added. “Only those who follow Hindu religion should be appointed as members of the trust board. Non-political religious people should be given a place in them”, Sarma added.