Scrap Devaswom Bill -NSS

CHANGANASSERY: The NSS has demanded a rollback of the proposed Travancore-Cochin Hindu Religious Institutions (Amendment) Bill, 2009.

In a resolution, it said the whole issue could be solved if outstanding personalities – sans political allegiance and known for their administrative acumen and honesty – were appointed as board presidents and members.

The resolution also felt that there was no justification for raising the number of board members to seven.

Since the work load in the administration of temples, or the number of temples had not risen, only three members were necessary in the boards. Squandering the offerings of the faithful in temples by measures like a hike in the number of board members and attendant wages and other benefits, was nothing but a big sin, the resolution said.

Every move of the government so far had to be viewed as an attack against Hindus and their faith, especially when such an approach was not there in the case of other religions and communities, the resolution said.

The resolution also urged the government to fillup existing vacancies in the Devaswom boards and, thereby, avoid an administrative stalemate.
NSS director board member N V Ayyappan Pillai presented the resolution and board member M M Govindan Kutty seconded it.

Reservation for poor

In a second resolution adopted by the meet, the UPA Government at the Centre was urged to take appropriate steps, including Constitutional amendment if necessary, to realise reservation for the economically backward in ‘non-reservation’ category communities, in the matter of government jobs and entry to educational institutions.
The NSS had submitted its suggestions before the Commission headed by Major General S N Sinha constituted by the Central Government, to work out the modalities for awarding reservation benefits for the economically poor among the forward communities, last year itself.

The same guidelines issued by the Supreme Court to determine the creamy layer in backward communities could also be used to determine the economically poor in forward communities, the resolution suggested.

NSS treasurer P N Narendranathan Nair presented the resolution and executive committee member Nedumangad Gopalan Nair seconded it.

Responses