On April 22, a circular issued by the Tamil Nadu government as part of its efforts to raise funds to fight the novel coronavirus epidemic l...
On April 22, a circular issued by the Tamil Nadu government as part of its efforts to raise funds to fight the novel coronavirus epidemic led to a two-week political war revolving around the state’s Hindu temples. After petitions were challenging the circular were filed in the Madras High Court, the state withdrew it.
The circular asked 47 temples under the control of the state government to contribute a total of Rs 10 crore of their surplus to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. It triggered a political storm, as Hindutva groups attacked the government, alleging that it was misusing temple funds.
While governments usually put up a strong fight to defend their orders in court, the ease with which the Tamil Nadu government withdrew the circular raised eyebrows. Did the government succumb to political pressure or did it withdraw the order because it felt it had erred?
The circular has added a fresh chapter to the debate in the state about whether temples should be administered by the government at all.
Temples and the state
The controversy around state control of Hindu temples predates Independence. As early as in 1789, the British East India Company formed a Board of Revenue in the erstwhile Madras Presidency. This was the first time that...
