The Hindu : Karnataka News : Govt. urged to take over mutt-run temples

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Friday, Jan 07, 2005

Karnataka

Karnataka

Govt. urged to take over mutt-run temples

By Our Staff Correspondent

TUMKUR, JAN. 6. The Kanaka Yuvaka Sangha has urged the Government to take over all temples run by mutts.

K.R. Mahesh Wodeyar, advocate and sangha president, told presspersons here on Wednesday that the Supreme Court had ordered take over of Udupi Srikrishna Temple from the control of mutts. The apex court's order enables the Government to apply the same yardstick to all temples under the control of various mutts.

Mr. Wodeyar said he saw a relation between the confusion over the Kanaka Gopura in Udupi and the controversy over the Datta Peetha in Chikmagalur. The Government must seize the opportunity and derive strength from the Supreme Court order (in the matter of Srikrishna Temple) and act against disruptive forces creating trouble in the name of temples. All the mutts must be divested of control over temples. Social justice was possible only if the Government managed all temples, he said.

He warned the Government against ignoring the Supreme Court order in the matter.

Seer reiterates stand

Our Davangere Staff Correspondent reports:

Sri Vishvesha Tirtha of Pejawar Mutt has said that the Supreme Court had issued a decree that the temple in Udupi belonged to the eight mutts (ashta mutts) and the Muzrai Department has no control over any temple run by the ashta mutts. It "will be a gross violation" of Supreme Court's order if the Government took over the Udupi Krishna Temple, he added. The swamiji told presspersons that he was confident that the coalition Government in the State would not take such a step.

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