This article shows how the Indian government is purposely jeopardizing the future of Hindu temples.
With a little attention, anyone can see how Hindu institutions and Hinduism in India are unfairly targeted by a combination of Christian and Muslim Fundamentalists, vote bank politics and unscrupulous politicians and businessmen. Particularly alarming is the destruction of Hindu institutions and illegal mass conversions by other religions.
Through the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment Act, Hindu temples and Maths are taken over by state Governments in the name of better administration, while mosques and churches are completely autonomous. This Act allowed the state governments and politicians complete control over the temples and their property. Many abuses are committed by multiple state governments using the power accorded through this Act.
In Andhra Pradesh under Chief Minister Y. Samuel Rajasekar Reddy, tens of thousands of acres of temple lands are sold away leaving temples with little economic basis. This is done without the permission of the local Hindu community. The state government and the endowments department whose duty is to safeguard the temple properties have turned a blind eye to such encroachments or take overs of temple properties. The state government recently went to the extent of regularizing encroachments at nominal prices. These encroachments are often found to be closely associated to various political parties.
