Vijay Govt Mulls White Paper on Temple Irregularities Under DMK Rule

Tiruchy: The government was discussing releasing a white paper on the irregularities and grabbing of temple lands during the previous DMK regime, said Hindu religious & charitable endowments (HR&CE) minister S. Ramesh at Tiruchy on Monday.

Similarly, the government was also examining the DMK regime’s corrupt practices, how temple properties were misappropriated and misused in Tamil Nadu, he said, and added that based on the investigations, suitable action will be taken against the culprits.

He told mediapersons at Tiruchy that his department will eradicate corruption and the government was going to appoint separate groups to investigate misappropriation and misuse of temple properties, and irregularities that took place in the HR&CE administration.

Besides, separate committees will be appointed in every temple to protect its properties.

He said the TVK government does not allow corruption by anybody and those involved in corrupt practices in the previous government will be punished.

To a question, he said it was DMK president Stalin who was isolated, reduced to watching Assembly proceedings from home.

He objected to the remarks against Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay’s silence over the Cauvery water issue. He said there was no need to sort out the issue by speaking about it, it was enough to show it in action.

Replying to a specific question, he said though the department set right 80 per cent of the HR&CE temples where the staff demand money from devotees to help have darshan, there are still some complaints and investigations are on. Suitable action will be taken against whoever indulges in it, he added.

Condemning Naam Tamilar Katchi leader Seeman’s remarks against Vijay, he wanted Seeman to stop speaking against the Chief Minister in a way that sowed hate politics.