TN BJP accuses HR&CE of favouring encroachers on Karur temple lands

Chennai, Jul 10 (PTI) The Tamil Nadu BJP on Friday alleged that an attempt was being made by the HR&CE to "lift the registration block" on Rs 25,000 crore worth of temple lands in and around Karur district, to illegally transfer the land to encroachers—a charge denied by an official. BJP state chief Nainar Nagenthran claimed the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment Department had removed the registration block on 3,085 acres of land belonging to four temples—Kalyana Pasupatheeswarar temple, Sri Balasubramanya Swamy temple, Sri Raveshwar Swamy temple and Sri Vikirtheeshwar temple—in Karur district, allegedly to favour the encroachers. The lands were worth a total of Rs 25,000 crore, he said in a post on ‘X’, wondering why the department was showing such speed in releasing the hold on temple lands. Nagenthran alleged that the Karur district administration and the HR&CE were "pushing through" the orders in a single day, probably to allow the encroachers to take ownership. He demanded that Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay immediately intervene, reverse the order and safeguard the temple assets. A senior HR&CE official denied any such move, claiming that the department could not take such action to release temple property for registration or transfer in the state's records. According to a source, the temple land case has been embroiled in controversy for a long time and has even gone to court. During a hearing, the department informed the Madras High Court that it had identified 230 illegal occupants, among them some of the most powerful personalities. It named 27 government officials — serving and retired — who had illegally built structures on or occupied the land, 49 industrialists and business owners who had used the temple assets, and 38 influential or politically connected individuals, besides 67 families. PTI JSP SSK