Grant Equal Religious Rights for Hindus: Ex-Officials
The organisers said that the event was intended to create awareness in society and among journalists
Hyderabad: Former CBI director Mannem Nageshwar Rao has alleged that India’s Constitution discriminates against Hindus by denying them equal rights to practise and teach their religion. Speaking at a public meeting in Hyderabad, he called for amendments to Articles 25 to 30, which he said favour minorities and restrict Hindu institutions.
Delivering a presentation titled “Constitutional Bias – Denial of Equal Rights for Hindus,” Rao cited examples such as government control of temples, restrictions on Hindu educational institutions, and a lack of freedom to teach Hindu philosophy. He said similar rights are freely enjoyed by minority-run institutions.
The event was organised by the Movement for Equal Rights, started by Rao in 2018 at the Filmnagar Club here. The organisers said that the event was intended to create awareness in society and among journalists
Rao claimed that conversions and unequal legal protections have led to a decline in the Hindu population and warned that continued neglect could lead to political marginalisation. He also criticised successive governments for failing to protect temple properties and for ignoring the issue of land encroachments.
Supporting him, former DGP Dr K. Aravinda Rao said key constitutional provisions weakened Hindu rights and needed review. He stressed that Tarkam (logic), Vyakaranam (grammar) and Meemamsa (philosophical inquiry) were rich Indian knowledge systems, not mere religious texts. He blamed governments for labeling them as religious scriptures and excluding them from schooling, thereby depriving Hindu students of these essential teachings.
AP former chief secretary L.V. Subramanyam lamented that only a small fraction of Hindu students received such education, mainly in a few Gurukuls, while the majority remained uninformed. He condemned government interference in temple management, which he said led to their decline and unjust diversion of donors’ contributions.
Subramanyam also highlighted the massive loss of temple land — around 25,000 acres in Tamil Nadu and 15,000 acres in Andhra Pradesh — over the past 50 years. He alleged that courts and governments failed to protect Hindu rights and urged the Hindu community to actively safeguard their religion and heritage.
