Hyderabad: The Temples Protection Movement has urged devotees across the country to vote only for those political parties and candidates who promise to stop government control of temples. Telangana Archaka Samakhya and Andhra Pradesh Archaka Samakhya have supported the demand.
Dr M.V. Soundararajan, convenor of the TPM, said even after several court rulings against government interference in temples, government control continues unabated. “Originally, temples were purely places of devotion. Commercial and political interests were non-existent. There was no concept of VIP treatment, no political trust boards, no ticket system or the money for worship concept. Now it is worship for money, politics in worship, which is spelling doom of the Hindu religion as a whole,” he said.
“Lakhs of temples have been destroyed, lands occupied, their properties sold and temples have closed down. If you look back, all of this has been because of unnecessary interference of the government,” he said.
