Thol. Thirumavalavan. File
| Photo Credit: B. Velankanni Raj
A meeting of the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK)‘s high-level committee has adopted a resolution urging the Tamil Nadu government to take steps to ensure the rights of all communities to worship in temples across the State and demanded action against those preventing such entry. VCK founder Thol. Thirumavalavan chaired the meeting in Chennai on Wednesday, June 22, 2023.
Pointing out that the trust boards have been constituted in only 780 temples of the total 43,283 temples under the control of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endwoments (HR&CE) Department, the meeting urged the State government to ensure that, while constituting trust board for these temples, one of the members should be a woman and another a member of the Scheduled Caste/Tribe.
“The Chief Minister should seek a report from the HR&CE Department Commissioner on whether equality is ensured in all temples. The report should be made public,” one of the resolutions adopted said. Pointing out that Section 106 of the Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act, 1959 was over removal of discrimination in the distribution of prasadams or theerthams, it sought action against violators.
Another resolution adopted by at the meeting referred to the killing of several people in violence-hit Manipur and the BJP’s alleged “communal majoritarianism and hate politics against minorities” and sought the resignation of Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
The meeting also welcomed the Tamil Nadu government’s decision to close down 500 State-run liquor shops across the State. It also urged the State government to declare that no new shops would be opened and an announcement that remaining liquor shops would be closed in a phased manner.
