Swarajya Logo
Swarajya Logo
Politics States Economy Society Business Culture Infra Defence World Books Ideas Science Technology Heritage Archives Legal Movies Sports
  • Our Views
    Politics States Economy Society Business Culture Infra Defence World Books Ideas Science Technology Heritage Archives Legal Movies Sports
  • Magazine
  • Store

About Swarajya

Swarajya is a publication by Kovai Media Private Limited.

Swarajya - a big tent for liberal right of centre discourse that reaches out, engages and caters to the new India.

editor@swarajyamag.com

Useful Links

  • About Us
  • Subscriptions Support
  • Editorial Philosophy
  • Press Kit
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Code of Conduct
  • Plagiarism Policy
  • Refund & Cancellation Policy

Useful Links

  • About Us
  • Subscriptions Support
  • Editorial Philosophy
  • Press Kit
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Code of Conduct
  • Plagiarism Policy
  • Refund & Cancellation Policy

Participate

  • Contact Us
  • Write for us
  • Style Guide
  • Jobs

Stay Connected

  • Artboard 2 Copy 6Created with Sketch.
    Artboard 2 Copy 10Created with Sketch.
    Artboard 2 Copy 7Created with Sketch.
    Artboard 2 Copy 9Created with Sketch.
  • Andriod Logo
  • IOS Logo

Heritage

Chennai Temple’s Land Restored From Mosque Committee After 20 Years Of Struggle, District Collector Silent Over Missing Pond

M R SubramaniFriday, September 4, 2020 3:17 pm IST
The Madras High Court ruling over Virugambakkam temple.
The Madras High Court ruling over Virugambakkam temple.
The Madras High Court ruling over Virugambakkam temple.
  • With the help of the Chennai Collector, 10 acres of land belonging to Sundara Varadharaja Perumal temple has been regained from a local mosque committee.
  • The Chennai Collector has retrieved oven 10 acres of land belong to the Arulmigu Sundara Varadharaja Perumal temple in the Virugambakkam locality from a local mosque committee after over 20 years struggle by devotees and temple activists.

    However, the collector has not responded to a plea to retrieve a pond of the temple that could have occupied nearly 2.5 acres.

    In 1997, the pond was reported to have been desilted but some vested interests tried to take over the pond and the adjoining lands, totalling nearly 14 acres. The land was donated to the temple by the Sunguvar Brahmin community.

    In 1910 records, these lands were shown under the control of the Taluk Board. Over a period of time, barring the land where the pond existed, the rest was encroached by the vested interests.

    The local mosque committee, which planned to construct a place of worship there, was among those who successfully registered three acres of the illegally occupied land in its name. It completed the registration process with the help of government staff.

    When the local Hindu Munnani came to know about this, it staged a protest against it. Temple Worshippers Society President T R Ramesh filed a public interest litigation against the registration.

    The Madras High Court accepted his argument and cancelled the registration. It also asked the Chennai collector to investigate the issue. The Supreme Court, too, upheld the High Court ruling.

    However, when the collector called all the disputing parties for a hearing, the mosque committee representatives did not turn up. In view of this, the inquiry could not be completed even after two years.

    Without knowing these developments, temple activist Jebamani Mohanraj moved the High Court to retrieve the temple’s pond. In his petition he argued for the retrieval of the pond, something no one else sought until then.

    Fortunately, the case was heard by the same judge who had asked the Chennai collector to investigate the temple land issue. The judge asked the collector to immediately complete the investigations and find out if a pond existed there.

    The judge’s order came despite the state government seeking regular adjournments in the case, Mohanraj told Swarajya.

    Following this, the collector began investigating the case quickly and the Wakf Board representatives took part in the hearing. Barring the mosque committee representatives, the rest of those who took part in the investigations demanded the retrieval of the temple pond.

    After hearing all those concerned with the case, the collector fixed a date for the final hearing. But three days before the final hearing, the collector was transferred. Interestingly, over the next two weeks after that, all government staff who were connected with the case were transferred.

    As the case dragged on, Mohanraj filed a contempt of court case in the Madras High Court. When the court was about to hear the contempt case, the collector’s investigations resumed.

    When the contempt petition was taken up for hearing, the collector told the court that the ruling would be given in 10 days time.

    However, the ruling came two months later in view of the novel Coronavirus pandemic affecting the functioning of various departments.

    In the ruling, the Chennai collector rejected the Wakf Board arguments and restored the lands to the Taluk Board. The interesting aspect to note here is that the lands were not restored to either the temple or the community which donated it.

    But the collector’s ruling is being seen as upholding the ownership of the temple.

    Though the collector has mentioned during the investigations, the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department and temple authorities had mentioned the existence of the pond. But no ruling was given on it.

    According to Mohanraj, the ruling has ensured that the temple lands have not been encroached either by the mosque committee or land sharks.

    But no decision has been made on the missing temple pond. He has now petitioned the Madras High Court on the issue again.

    Tags
    Madras High Court
    Tamil Nadu temples
    Indian Supreme Court
    Illegal encroachment of temple lands
    Tamil Nadu HR&CE Department
    Tamil Nadu temple lands misuse
    Temple Worshippers Society
    Chennai collector

    Comments ↓

    An Appeal...


     

    Dear Reader,

     

    As you are no doubt aware, Swarajya is a media product that is directly dependent on support from its readers in the form of subscriptions. We do not have the muscle and backing of a large media conglomerate nor are we playing for the large advertisement sweep-stake.

     

    Our business model is you and your subscription.  And in challenging times like these, we need your support now more than ever.

     

    We deliver over 10 - 15 high quality articles with expert insights and views. From 7AM in the morning to 10PM late night we operate to ensure you, the reader, get to see what is just right.

     

    Becoming a Patron or a subscriber for as little as Rs 1200/year is the best way you can support our efforts.

    Get Swarajya in your inbox.


    Magazine


    Swarajya Magazine Cover Image
    Merchandise

    Merchandise


      Politics

      BJP Eyes 2024 Lok Sabha Elections In Selection Of Chief Ministers For MP, Rajasthan And Chhattisgarh: Report

      BJP Eyes 2024 Lok Sabha Elections In Selection Of Chief Ministers For MP, Rajasthan And Chhattisgarh: Report

      Swarajya Staff
      1h

      Not Like The Old Times: BJP's Feeble Victory In Rajasthan (Part I)

      Venu Gopal Narayanan
      14h

      "Not Winning Solely On Modi's Popularity": Prashant Kishor Lists Out Four Reasons For BJP Victories In Three States

      Nishtha Anushree
      16h

      Economy

      India Anticipated To Be Fastest Growing In Next Three Years, Set to Become Third Largest Economy By 2030: S&P

      India Anticipated To Be Fastest Growing In Next Three Years, Set to Become Third Largest Economy By 2030: S&P

      Nishtha Anushree
      20h

      Sensex Surpasses 69,000 For First Time As Investor Confidence Surges Post BJP Sweep In Three States

      Bhuvan Krishna
      22h

      Sensex, Nifty Close At All-Time High After BJP Victories In Three States, Record Surge Of Over 2 Per Cent

      Nishtha Anushree
      2d

      Defence

      On This Day, In 1971, Indian Navy Struck Pakistan's Naval Fleet At Karachi, Sank PNS Ghazi At Visakhapatnam, And Decimated Tanks In Longewala

      On This Day, In 1971, Indian Navy Struck Pakistan's Naval Fleet At Karachi, Sank PNS Ghazi At Visakhapatnam, And Decimated Tanks In Longewala

      Ujjwal Shrotryia
      17h

      On This Day, In 1971, Indian Air Force Struck Pakistani Installations For The Second Straight Day, Setting Stage For Historic Naval Raids On Karachi

      Ujjwal Shrotryia
      2d

      IAF's Mighty 'Mi-26,' Able To Lift Chinooks, Set For Overhaul With Russian Help

      Ujjwal Shrotryia
      2d

      World

      Moody's Downgrades China's Credit Ranking From Stable To Negative Citing Continuous Contraction Of Property Sector

      Moody's Downgrades China's Credit Ranking From Stable To Negative Citing Continuous Contraction Of Property Sector

      Nishtha Anushree
      17h

      Not Enough Joining US Military: Here's An Interesting Solution By A Senator — Let Illegal Immigrants Join, In Exchange For Citizenship

      Swarajya Staff
      22h

      Chinese Economic Crisis Deepens As Debt Defaults Reach Record High

      Swarajya Staff
      2d

      Culture

      'Celebrate At Home': Champat Rai Of Ram Janambhoomi Trust Urges Hindus Not To Visit Ayodhya On 22 January

      'Celebrate At Home': Champat Rai Of Ram Janambhoomi Trust Urges Hindus Not To Visit Ayodhya On 22 January

      Bhuvan Krishna
      23h

      'Animal': Sandeep Reddy Vanga 2 – Liberals 0

      K Balakumar
      4d

      Why The Insidious Anti-Hindu Communalism Of Certain Directors Goes Scot-Free

      Anonymous Contributor
      4d
      States

      infrastructure


      Arun Kumar Das
      1

      ‘Sustainable All-Round Development Is The Only Way Forward’: Venkaiah Naidu At IIR-2023

      2 Mins Read
      Arun Kumar Das
      2

      Delhi Metro: DMRC To Start Audio-Based Advertisements In Trains

      2 Mins Read
      Arun Kumar Das
      3

      Delhi-Meerut-Ghaziabad RRTS: Power Supply Commences Beyond Priority Section On Rapid Rail Corridor

      2 Mins Read
      Amit Mishra
      4

      Groove On The Go: Delhi Metro Unveils Pilot Project For Audio Ads And Jingles

      1 Mins Read