The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Government to wait for court verdict

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Sep 28, 2005

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Government to wait for court verdict

Special Correspondent

Takeover of Sri Krishna Mutt/Temple

BANGALORE: Deputy Chief Minister M.P. Prakash has said the Government prefers to wait for the court verdict rather than take a political decision with regard to taking over Sri Krishna Mutt/Temple in Udupi.

Participating in a meet-the-press programme organised by the Bangalore Reporters' Guild here on Tuesday, he said the matter is before the court and the Government will wait for its verdict. The temple authorities had taken the issue to the High Court and later to the Supreme Court, but both the courts rejected their claim, as they could not provide any historical evidence to show that the temple belonged to the mutt.

In fact, Sri Krishna Temple was a major temple in the erstwhile Madras Province governed by the Hindu Religious Endowment Act. The temple, therefore, belonged to Hindus in general, he said.

Stating that the Government will not succumb to any pressure in the matter of taking over the temple, Mr. Prakash said that the matter will come up for hearing in the Udupi Civil Court on October 21. The Revenue Department has written to the Law Department to appoint an advocate to argue the case, he said.

Law Minister H.K. Patil has already issued a statement that the Government has withdrawn its August 24 letter, in which it communicated to the Deputy Commissioner of Udupi district to desist from appealing against the 2003 interim order passed by the Udupi Civil Court restraining the Government from interfering in the administration of Sri Krishna Mutt.

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