'Govt should move out of affairs of temples'

Many jurists and legal experts will examine the legality of governments’ “overarching” control over Hindu temples at a day-long symposium to be organised here on Sunday by Hindu Dharma AcharyaSabha (HDAS), an apex body of several Hindu institutions.

“The theme of the symposium is Government Control of Temples – Constitutional Issues.

Former chief justices of high courts and senior advocates of Supreme Court and other constitutional experts will examine the legality of governments’ overarching control of Hindu temples, their properties and endowments, and the governments’ interferences in Hindu religious practices in temples,” the HDAS said in press statement.

Freedom to practice and propagate ones’ faith or religion without hindrance is guaranteed by Articles 25 and 26 of our constitution. This freedom is available to all faiths and religions.

“However, overreaching legislations, executive actions and certain judicial pronouncements have by and large diluted and in some cases denied the constitutional rights to the majority community.Specifically, the right to maintain and administer their temples has been denied to Hindus by the various state governments through different legislations and executive actions,” the HDAS underlined.

The HDAS said that it seeks to restore the rights of the Hindu community over their temples, free them from government interference. “By this symposium, HDAS hopes to bring awareness of the state of affairs and examine ways and means of limiting governments’ role in religious affairs of the majority community,” it added.