Stalin Govt's Spiritual Projects - A Quick Review!

As per the government's spokesperson, the party is not against any spiritual religion but the caste discrimination that has been dividing people over ages.

Chennai: Chief Minister M.K.Stalin has notified that DMK government is not against spirituality. He quoted his statement using the famous dialogue of his father, M. Karunanidh for the movie 'Parasakthi' in 1945, that said, 'I didn't say we don't want a temple; He mentioned that it should not become the abode of bad people.

What is the Conflict?

A few days earlier, CM gave a speech on the religious beliefs of the people of Tamil Nadu. However, some anti social media elements twisted the speech and make it a way that it appears anti religious. This created a stir in the politics and the government received backlash from the opposition.

Now, the party has came at forefront. The spokesperson quoted that the party is not spiritualism or religion but against the business that has been done in the name of religion. The party is also against the caste discrimination that is detrimental to the progress of the state.

What is the Hindu Endowment Act?

Since the release of the statement, the government has been receiving flak from the opposition party BJP. The BJP has been campaigning on the idea that 'temple property should be recovered from the Hindu religious and charitable endowments department.

A temple is not just spiritual; It also includes assets for that. It was owned by landowners. They used it for their own gain. But a law was needed to abolish it. The 'Hindu Endowment Act' was first introduced in 1922 by the Justice Party in power to protect misplaced temple properties. With this, the Justice Party democratized the temple properties to benefit the people.

This Act came into effect in 1925. As a result, the Hindu Religious board was formed in 1927. It evolved into a Hindu religious and charitable endowments department' in 1951. Until this Act, only the wealthy enjoyed the entire income from the temple. This Act emphasized to use of it for social welfare works. M. Karunanidhi built charity homes for destitute children using the income from temples. He also spent a lot of fund on the rehabilitation of beggars in the 1970s.

The lower castes, who were once barred from entering the temple gates, enjoyed a share of the temple revenues due to the new law. Similarly, legislation was passed to abolish the priestly system which was practiced as a hereditary profession. M. Karunanidhi brought the law amendment that 'all castes can become priests' during his reign.

Now, the opposition are propagandizing that it is the DMK that has converted the temple property which was private property to the state and transferred it to public welfare work. It was during the DMK regime that the revenue received from the public property belonging to the temples was taken and spent on the common people. The BJP's campaign insists on taking power away from the government and giving it to private individuals.

It was through the democratic struggle started by the 'Justice Party' that the then Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi recovered 5 lakh acres of land belonging to monasteries and temples, which were stuck in private hands. The Tiruvarur Chariot, which had been parked in one place since 1948, was re-run during the reign of Karunanidhi. For this, he brought advanced hydraulic equipment and made the toad run on the streets. After almost 25 years, due to his efforts, chariots roamed the streets of Tiruvarur.

What is the Stand of the Stalin Government?

In an attempt to break the argument of the opposing team, Public Works Minister E.V. Velu has recently given an interview that 'Kudamuzhukku (consecrated) was conducted for 432 temples at a cost of 8484 crores only during Kalaignar's rule'.

However, they continue to propagate that 'DMK is against spirituality. So far all the temple works mentioned in this article took place during the DMK regime.

Around 240 Chariots have been refurbished in the 2006-07 regime alone. 5 thousand temples have been deconstructed and renovated. At the same time, a welfare board was also established for the village temple priests. In 2010, a scheme to provide bicycles to 10,000 priests also came into operation. Also, 17.50 lakhs was given to 70 temples of tribal and Adi Dravidians (schedule caste) at the rate of 25 thousand each without giving importance to the worship of big temples only. 75 lakh rupees, which is given annually for the construction of temples, has been increased to 3 crores.

These are the changes made by M. Karunanidhi in government administration. He also did some literary work. He turned the folklore story drama into a movie called Ponnar Shankar, a popular cinema. He wrote the epic for Ramanuja who championed the rights of marginalized people. He did not accept royalty when the epic was translated into Telugu. Religious forces criticize this party's rule as 'anti-spiritual'.

What did Veteran Journalist Kovi Lenin say about these Allegations?

"The first political organization of the Dravidian movement was the 'Justice Party. This party was started on the basis of a temple rights struggle. P.T. Thiagarajan and C. Natesan, the founders of this movement, are both believers in God. At that time, Thiagarajan donates 5 thousand rupees for the Mylapore temple consecrated. He gives so much money at the time when the price of gold was sold at 2 rupees.

But Thyagarayar is denied permission to participate in the Mylapore Temple consecrated ceremony. Because he is a Shudra. He was prevented from entering the temple by a clerk. Because that person is a Brahmin. Thiagarajan, the chairman of the Chennai Corporation, was denied permission to participate in the temple ceremony. It was a period.

In 1922, the 'Justice Party' came to power and brought in the 'Hindu Charities Act'. The party brought this historic law even though it came to power with less influence through the then 'double suffrage'. Former Chief Minister Annadurai, who came to power in the same tradition, said, 'A political party cannot operate with an atheistic policy. Therefore, there is only one clan; 'There is only one God.' He said.

His successor, M. Karunanidhi, legally obtained the right that 'all castes can become priests'. Moreover, he got the right to 'worship in Tamil' in temples. He did not impose this by force. He fought and got it legally.

During the consecrated period during the Justice Party, Thyagaraya was denied permission to climb the Mylapore temple tower. But during the reign of M. Karunanidhi (1996-2001), Tamilkudimakan, who was the Hindu religious charity department, conducted the consecrated ceremony in the same temple according to the Tamil method. DR Balu, one of the DMK leaders, got permission to stand on the top of the temple tower along with Kanchi Jayendra. All these rights do not come easily.

It was during the DMK regime that puja was made compulsory even in temples with no income. It was M. Karunanidhi who prevented the Thiruvannamalai Temple from being taken under the control of the Archeology Department and established the right of people to worship. It was the DMK government that completely renovated the Annamalaiyar temple in 1975.

Some people started rumors saying that if the 1000th celebration of Tanjore Great Temple is held, the government will be in danger. The then Ex-Chief Minister Karunanidhi celebrated the event without any hesitation. M. Karunanidhi, who wore a black shirt during his marriage, participated in this ceremony wearing a silk shirt.

Following this, Chief Minister Stalin issued orders for the appointment of 58 priests under the Archakas of all castes Act. Stalin brought temple lands worth 2,500 crore rupees under the control of the government within 10 months of his rule. This is a historic achievement.

Now Chief Minister Stalin is celebrating Vallalar's 200th birthday very critically. This festival is to be observed continuously for a whole year. For the construction of Tiruchendur Subramania Swamy temple and providing basic facilities for devotees Rs. 300 crores was given to Stalin. Likewise, Stalin has given 23 crores 81 lakh 78 thousand rupees to fulfill the basic needs of the devotees in the Palani Thandayuthapani temple.

He said the Madurai Meenakshi Amman temple will be renovated at a cost of 25 crore rupees, and consecration of this temple will be conducted in 2 years. The 100 year ago the Dravidian model of governance brought temple properties under state control. But the party of those who talk about spiritual politics has only now started thinking about this in the northern states. This is the proof of how far Tamil Nadu has progressed", says Kovi Lenin