Hindu Aikyavedi demands withdrawal of Devaswom amendment

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Hindu Aikyavedi has called upon the State Government to withdraw the proposed amendment to the Thiru-Kochi Devaswom Bill.
 
Addressing a news conference here on Friday, Hindu Aikyavedi state general secretary E S Biju and district working president Jyotheendra Kumar said that the Government was trying to claim the offerings of the devotees and other income of the temples by taking the advantage of its status as the custodian of the temples.
 
They said that the Government had vested interests in making the amendments.
The Government has no intention to speed up the development of the temple or make the functioning of the temple more effective. But it is more interested in taking the control of the temples, they said.
 
 
The Aikyavedi leaders said that the Government wanted to make the Devawom Board a mute witness by diluting its autonomous character and concentrate the power in the hands of the Devaswom Minister.
 
By increasing the number of Board members and ending the intervention of the High court, the Government’s decision will become final. They alleged that it was an attempt to usurp the religious freedom of the Hindus.
 
It is against the provisions of the Covenant and the agreement reached between the representatives of the Central Government and the Maharajas of Travancore and Kochi in 1949, they said.
 
They demanded that the Government should hand over the devaswom administration to the believers. Before passing the Bill, the Government should hold talks with the Hindu organisations, thantries and honest people who have administrative skills, they said.

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