Sadhguru files PIL in Madras HC seeking an external audit of Tamil Nadu's temples

Spiritual leader, mystic and founder of Isha Foundation Sadhguru has filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) at the Madras High Court seeking direction to be issued to conduct an external audit of the temples in Tamil Nadu. Sadhguru, a crusader of the 'Save Temples' movement, sought in his plea the constitution of a commission to examine devolution of shrines to the community, a release from Isha said on Saturday. The PIL petition, filed on Friday, names the state of Tamil Nadu and the Additional Chief Secretary of the Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments Department (HR&CE) as first and second respondents.

Sadhguru files PIL seeking external audit of Tamil Nadu temples

Isha Foundation's move to file a PIL at the Madras HC came after spiritual leader Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev's repeated requests to the government on conducting audit of temples in the state reportedly went unheard. In his PIL at the HC, Sadhguru has sought the audit of 44,000 temples in the state under HR&CE department to ascertain the condition of all their structures, associated lands and immovable assets, status of possession and occupation of the temple properties, the rents received and the dues, among others. The founder of Isha Foundation also sought the formation of a committee which would manage temples, its rituals and practices and to examine devolution of the temples to the community. 

Earlier in April, Sadhguru hailed Uttarakhand CM Tirath Singh Rawat for freeing 51 temples from state government's control by revoking a law that was passed by his predecessor Trivendra Singh Rawat. CM Tirath Singh Rawat had revoked the Uttarakhand Char Dham Devasthanam Management Act freeing 51 temples including Haridwar and Badrinath from the state government's control. In a video message, Sadhguru said, "This is a very big step for the Hindu astha, since it should be in the hands of the community. If the government sees tourism potential, they can build infrastructure, make transportation convinient, arrange accommodation but the temple itself should be in the hands of the devotees. I am glad the Uttarakhand government realizes this and my congratulations and blessings to CM Tirath Singh. This is truly wonderful and I wish more chief ministers move in this direction," he said. 

Free Tamil Nadu Temples campaign

Sadhguru's 'Free Tamil Nadu Temples' campaign was started after the state government presented a report in the Madras High Court on the sorry state of the temples of the state. Sadhguru had said that in 2020, a report was presented by the state government in the Tamil Nadu High Court in which it was said that no puja is performed in 11,999 temples as they have no revenue, while 37,000 out of 44,000 temples have less than Rs 10,000 income.

Quoting the government report, Sadhguru had also said that 34,000 temples have only one person each to manage the temple. The puja, caretaking, security and other work of the temple is managed by a single person and his salary is less than minimum wages given under MGNREGA, according to the report, said Sadhguru calling it a systemic running down of the entire culture. 

Through the 'Free Tamil Nadu Temples' campaign, Sadhguru intends to put forward his views of liberating the temples of Tamil Nadu from the clutches of government so they can be run independently while having periodic external audits over the functioning of the temples. He also thinks this campaign will have a domino effect on the larger question of the management of the temples across the country and freeing those who are managed and run by the respective state governments.