The Hindu : Karnataka News : `Govt. will abide by court verdict on Udupi temple'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Feb 09, 2005

Karnataka

Karnataka

`Govt. will abide by court verdict on Udupi temple'

By Our Staff Correspondent

MYSORE, FEB. 8. The Deputy Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah, on Tuesday said that the Government would abide by the directions of the High Court of Karnataka with respect to the controversy over the Sri Krishna Temple in Udupi.

Speaking to presspersons here, Mr. Siddaramaiah said that as the case was pending before the High Court, the Government would wait for the directions before arriving at a decision.

The Government was trying to get a stay order brought by the Ashta Mutts with regard to the status of the temple vacated, he added.

Asked why the district administration did not take any action if the demolition of the Kanaka Gopura was found to be illegal, he said action had to be initiated carefully.

On his participation at the inauguration of the new gopura, Mr. Siddaramaiah said, "I will take part in the function as a representative of the Government as the temple belongs to it."

Petition

Mr. Siddaramaiah said the confusion over the ownership of the temple persisted. He said the records available proved that it belonged to the Government.

The Supreme Court also gave a verdict that the temple came under the definition of Madras Act 1945, and that it belonged to the public, he said.

Nowhere in its judgement did the Supreme Court state that the temple belonged to the mutts, he added.

He said that the Ashta Mutts had petitioned the Government seeking possession of the temple from Muzrai Department. He pointed out that the fact that a petition had been made meant that the temple did not belong to them.

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