Chennai: With Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR & CE) department constituting a three-member special team to probe the case of missing peacock idol from Sri Kapaleswar temple, Mylapore, there has been a demand from several quarters for an impartial probe into all the idol theft cases by a retired judge.
As the battle to protect Tamil Nadu's antique idols rages between the HR & CE, which is the custodian of over 38,646 temples and its properties under their control; and Idol Wing IG Pon Manickavel, on hot pursuit of idol thieves, raiding several places and recovering idols too, opinion among the staff is divided and even political parties particularly the BJP have come out in support of the top police official for his 'cleansing mission.'
The department was left rattled after Mr Manickavel arrested HR & CE's Chief Sthapathi M. Muthiah and also Additional Commissioner (Thiruppani) M. Kavitha on suspicion of her role in misappropriating funds and gold collected towards making two new idols at the Sri Ekambareswar Temple in Kancheepuram. He also interrogated another Additional Commissioner in connection with the missing idol.
Couple of officials including chairman board of trustees, obtained anticipatory bail. And as the stand-off between the HR & CE and Idol Wing IG, spilled out into the open, there has been an increasing demand among a section of devotees in demanding an independent probe by a retired judge of the Madras High Court.
“Only such an action will bring the truth out. The conflict between the departments in question makes one turn to the judiciary for succour. For instance, either the government or court could order an impartial enquiry by a retired judge of the Madras High Court or appoint an amicus curiae to conduct a detailed enquiry and help bring a logical conclusion to the idol theft cases,” opines Srinivasan, a devotee in Triplicane.
The interrogation of additional commissioner Thirumagal, the then HR & CE assistant commissioner, in the case of missing peacock idol in Sri Kapaleshwar temple, raised many eyebrows. “What was shocking was her alleged claim that despite her office being 20 feet from the main sannidhi, she said she had never seen the peacock statue,” an official said. Refusing to be named, the senior official said the entire department should not be construed as culprits merely because a couple of officials have been arrested or are facing action.
The HR & CE has constituted a three-member committee to probe the missing peacock idol, in the rank of executive officers (joint commissioners). “How can the subordinate officials boldly interrogate their higher official?” a HR & CE official who did not want to be named, asked. “This is something like asking a police SI to enquire Inspector or DSP,” he added.
BJP national secretary H. Raja cited a Supreme Court order and termed the HR & CE department “encroachers of temples.” The apex court had in 1965 asked the HR & CE to vacate 45 temples across the state and hand it over to the chief trustee of temples. Temple administration should alone take care of the mundane affairs of the temple and should not interfere in the spiritual affairs. He alleged that there are 38,635 temples under HR&CE and most of them are being used only to mint money.
