Govt will act as bridge between Dheekshithars & devotees: Sekar Babu

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Minister for Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) and senior DMK leader, P.K. Sekar Babu said on Monday that the government would act as a bridge between the 'Dheekshithars' and Sri Sabanayagar temple in Chidambaram.

He also said that the government would take a just and balanced decision without hurting anyone's sentiments.

The HR&CE Minister was speaking to reporters after having darshan at the Kanagasabhai mandapam in the Sri Sabanayagar temple, Chidambaram. The Minister said that Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, M.K. Stalin has directed that the expectations of all sections of the society should be met on a balanced scale without hurting any particular section.

He also said that he shared the views of the government with the Dheekshithars and elicited their views as also perused the rules governing the administration of the temple.

The Minister also said that the government would not take any decision that was injurious to any section and that the government was for prevailing cordial relationship between all sections of the people.

Sekar Babu said, "Our intention is that all sections of the people live happily without any prejudice or bad blood and hope that all issues will be settled amicably with the blessings of Lord Natarajar."

The HR&CE Minister also said that the state government had increased the grant given to temples to Rs 2 lakh from Rs 1 lakh for one-time pooja. He also said that while the number of such temples receiving Rs 1 lakh grant for poojas was earlier 12,959, the present government has added 2000 more temples into the list.

The Minister said that the state government was also providing a monthly aid of Rs 1000 to 10,109 temple priests. Sekar Babu also assured that he would take up consecration works of 1500 temples at Rs 1000 crore and that he would take up the renovation and consecration works of the Thillai Govindaraja Perumal temple in Chidambaram.