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Seizing on CPI-M leaders' argument that suggestions of amicus curiae Gopal Subramaniam are essentially meant to help the Travancore royal house regain control of the temple, RSS and allied organisations as well as some other community outfits held that the CPI(M) had no locus standi to interfere in the temple issue.
CPI(M) state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan and party stalwart and state opposition leader V S Achuthanandan had yesterday asked the state government to reject Subramaniam's proposals, alleging they would only lead to restoration of control of the grand temple and its invaluable wealth to the royal family.
They also slammed the Congress-led UDF government for not taking a firm position in the case pending in the apex court.
Reacting to the development, BJP state president V Muraleedharan said the CPI(M) leaders' views only betrayed their eagerness to convert the temple assets into public property. "Would they have done this in the case of assets of other religions", he sought to know from the Left parties.
The BJP was opposed to the government takeover of the temple or bringing it under control of a trust on the lines of Guruvayoor temple. Instead, the temples should be governed by a panel comprising nominees of the royal house and devotees, Muraleedharan said.
Leader of pro-RSS Hindu Aikyavedi, Kummanam Rajasekharan, alleged that the CPI(M) move was meant to destroy temples and the contention that the total control of the shrine should be vested with the government was unconstitutional.
General secretary of Nair Service Society G Sukumaran Nair said the invaluable assets in its vaults should be kept in the temple itself by declaring it as the wealth of Lord Padmanabha.
CPM being atheist,why are they worried about temples and their wealth?
Why should the govt be allowed to take over temple wealth, especially when it has not been touched by the royal family for so long? It is a question of dignity and the rights of the royal family to protect their beliefs and the wealth of the temple of which they have been custodians and caretakers. Going by your logic, all the wealth held in all places of worship across India should be given away/auctioned, and not just that of the Padmanabhaswamy temple. Why isnt anyone arguing for that? The govt does not touch the places of worship of any other faith so why should Hindu temples suffer? When it comes to other religions, everyone talks about protecting religious sentiments; why shouldnt the same argument apply here?
Did padbanaba earned those valuables? How many poor people had worked to bring up those valuables from caves and underground? In the name of GOD, riches of past enjoyed those assets. Let the valuables be auctioned and the money be used properly by the government. If you want love Padbanabha, not these assets.
What else contributed to the temple is not the contribution of people but devotees. Devotees are public but all public may or may not be devotees. The contribution or sacrifice is always a matter of devotees' personal devotion, love or interest towards the God or Deity and the temple in particular. Thus people or government has no right to grab or use the wealth so amassed for any purpose other than the temple and the maintenance of the well-being of the system vested in the devotional and cultural values. Here the question is not loving the lord, God or Deity or the asset but the justice.
Today it is a fashion in the Secularism to target and corner Hindu temples and even sikh, buddhist in certain locations. Islam and Christianity are an integral part of Indian History. But there has been issues where most people (Secularists) have a SKEWED understanding of history with a divisional and notorious intent where they focus issues which are more detrimental rather constructive. This Kerala temple issue is classic example. Would Government control of temple be allowed if there would have been a Church or a Mosque. Or even that the party CPI is perhaps - pseudo secularists.
