The DMK government has again targeted temple activists who lodge complaints against theft of antique jewellery and idols in ancient Hindu temples under the control of HR&CE department.

Two temple activists, Dinesh Babu and Dilli Babu have been arrested in Kanchipuram under flimsy charges, allegedly slandering police and preventing temple staff from working. The two activists were arrested after they lodged complaints over theft of antique temple jewellery from the Temple Treasury and irregularities in idol sculpting works at the ancient Ekambareswarar Temple in Kanchipuram.

The HR&CE Executve Officer lodged a police complaint early last month claiming that the two temple activists, Dinesh Babu and Dilli Babu were ‘spreading rumours’ about jewels being stolen from the Temple Tresure room and were impeding the temple staff from doing their duty.

Notably, after Dilli Babu and Dinesh Babu red flagged about irregularities in making of new idols for the Ekambareswarar Temple, and loding police complaints against the same, the Idol Wing of Tamil Nadu police led by Pon Manickavel, an ace police officer with high level of integrity, arrested some authorities of the Temple involved in nefarious activities.

The two Temple activists have been exposing corruption in the management of the ancient Hindu temple and has been a thorn in the flesh of people who want to loot Temple treasures worth thousands of crores due to their antiquity and rich artisanship.

Instead of looking into the matter of regular theft of artefacts and antique jewellery seriously and conducting detailed investigations, the DMK government is silencing activists by arresting them so that such crimes can be carried on without any resistance. One needs to ask here, what is the interest of the DMK government in protecting thieves and covering up daylight robbery and loot of ancient Hindu Temples?

The DMK government does not seem to be serious about implementing the latest landmark judgement of the Madras High Court which directed the Tamil Nadu government and the HR&CE department to clean up its act and deal very strictly with corruption in management of ancient Hindu Temples by the government.

News input: Hindu Tamil.

DISCLAIMER: The author is solely responsible for the views expressed in this article. The author carries the responsibility for citing and/or licensing of images utilized within the text.