AP Govt nullifies appointment of temple trust board

Hyderabad, May 18 (UNI) The Andhra Pradesh Government today nullified the appointment of Trust Board for the famous Balaji temple at Chilukur, on the city outskirts and suspended an official of the Endowments Department who got the Board members take oath of office against Court orders.

An official press release here said the government took the action after it found the official had violated court orders by making the members take oath despite court orders.

According to Heriditary Priest Soundara Rajan, a court in Ranga Reddy district had stayed the appointment of trustees and ordered statues quo ante till May 26. The Endowments Department officials had violated the orders and committed contempt of court.

The members took oath amid loud protests by temple priests who even closed the gates leading to the sanctum sanctorum. They protested at the way the trustees were sworn-in, 'with the help of the police.' Dr Soundara Rajan, an educationist and Former Osmania University Professor had been trying to run the temple in an 'ideal' manner. He had got the hundi removed from the premises and stopped receipt of cash offerings from devotees.

The temple derives its only source of income from the sales of monthly spiritual magazine ''Vak.'' Attempts by the Endowments Department to take over the management of the temple had been strongly protested by priests.

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