NE NEWS SERVICE
COIMBATORE, MAR 24
Spiritual leader Sadhguru on Wednesday launched a 100 tweets Twitter campaign with an aim to bring people’s attention to the poor condition of temples in Tamil Nadu. He has been demanding for a long time to ‘Free Tamil Nadu’s Temples’ from government control.
Sadhguru has announced that he will be appealing to the political parties via a series of 100 tweets to draw their attention towards the campaign.
Taking to Twitter, Sadhguru said in his tweet, “#FreeTNTemples – a Movement born of deep Anguish. Today I am putting 100 tweets, not to browbeat anybody, but just out of deep pain. Anguished cry of the community must be heard.” In his tweets, the founder of Isha Foundation used the hashtag ‘Free TN temples’.
“This entire movement about free Tamil Nadu Temples is not an effort to protest, agitate or corner somebody. This is out of a very deep anguish,” said Sadhguru in a video message where he called on people “irrespective of religion” to support the movement to correct a “fundamental injustice.”
Sadhguru retweeted more than 100 videos shot by citizens and Isha volunteers which show the shocking and alarming condition of temples in the state.
“Everything that is Tamil is rooted in devotion and the fulcrum of this devotion is the temple,” said Sadhguru as he described the pain and anguish of devotees compelled into silent spectatorship as centuries’ and millennia-old temples crumble due to government apathy and neglect.
The campaign launched at the beginning of this month has taken on a life of its own on social media with support pouring in from all quarters.
Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, Chairperson and Managing Director of Biocon Ltd. called on citizens to “demand funds to resurrect temples” and lamented the lack of “respect” for “our heritage”
People should demand funds to resurrect temples – unfortunately we don’t respect our heritage in our country be it temples or museums. Govt must allocate funds to prevent such neglect https://t.co/i3nrOkQHdN
— Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw (@kiranshaw) March 24, 2021
Former CBI Director Nageswara Rao; and actors Kangana Ranaut and Raveena Tandon were among those who endorsed the campaign online. Kangana called the condition of temples “heartbreaking”.
This is so heart breaking…. What have we done to our civilisation shame on us for not standing up for our nation, culture and heritages #FreeTNTemples https://t.co/rBSBcL9LpR
— Kangana Ranaut (Modi Ka Parivar) (@KanganaTeam) March 24, 2021
Raveena Tandon had strong words for those presiding over the neglect of temples calling them “internal enemies”.
Once a great civilisation.. brought down by invaders and internal enemies … https://t.co/BZ0EqrarLT
— Raveena Tandon (@TandonRaveena) March 24, 2021
Actors Sridivya and Shreenidhi Shetty, Director of Draupathy Shri. Mohan and CD Ravi, the Chief of the Tamil Nadu unit of BJP were among those who lent their voice to the campaign. Leader of Hindu Makkal Katchi Arjun Sampath also tweeted in support. Actor, lawyer and writer Kasthuri Shankar tweeted, “My heart bleeds for the heartless exploitation of our sacred spaces” and called on the community “to unite in one voice to rescue our faith,”
I've been on a pilgrimage, My heart bleeds for the heartless exploitation of our sacred spaces.Temples need to be free, just as other places of worship are.@SadhguruJV has given his voice.We all need to unite in one voice to rescue our faith. #FreeTNTemples #FreeTemplesFromGovt https://t.co/vIxTd156SJ
— Kasturi (@KasthuriShankar) March 24, 2021
Earlier this month, Sadhguru wrote open letters to Tamil Nadu CM Palaniswami and the Opposition Leader M.K. Stalin urging them to include in their manifesto a plan to free TN temples from state control.
The #FreeTNTemples campaign has turned the spotlight on the silent majority – the community of Hindus – whose places of worship have been usurped and shackled by government control. The campaign has garnered national attention for its pan-India appeal as several Indian states have tightened their control over Hindu temples.
The Indian Constitution guarantees the Right to Worship as a fundamental right for citizens of all communities. While all other communities manage their own places of worship, Hindu temples alone have been administered by the draconian Hindu Religious and Charity Endowments Act which gives state full administrative control in all aspects of temple management including maintenance, financial control and staff appointments.
