Communist governments want control of Hindu Temples only for revenue: Former SC judge’s video surfaces

New Delhi, Aug 29: Former Supreme Court judge, Justice Indu Malhotra was seen in a video commenting that the Communist governments want to take control over the Hindu Temples because of the revenue these Temples generate.

"This is what happens with these Communist governments. They want to take over because of their revenue. Their problem is the revenue. All over they have taken over, all over, only Hindu temples," the retired judge can be heard saying.

Referring to the Padmanabha Swamy Temple in Kerala she can be heard saying that she along with Justice U U Lalit had halted such takeovers by the government, such as in Kerala where the state government take over Temples for revenue and specifically Hindu Temples. She also added that she would not allow it.

Shot outside the Padmanabha Swamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram, she is seen in the video referring to the 2020 Supreme Court judgment where the court upheld the right of the Travancore Royal family to manage and control the Temple after the death of the king of Travancore.

The court was hearing an appeal filed by the royal family which challenged a 2011 Kerala High Court judgment which had given the maintenance rights to the Kerala government.

The Supreme Court Bench then comprising Justices U U Lalit and Indu Malhotra had said that the death of the last Maharaja of Travancore in no way could affect the shebaitship (management) of the temple held by the royal family.

Justice Indu Malhotra the first woman advocate to be elevated as a judge was also the sole dissenter in the Sabarimala Temple entry case. She had favoured the protection of religious interests instead of allowing women inside the Temple saying that hearing petitions that challenge the religious practices affects India's secular fabric. Justice Malhotra retired on March 31 2021.