AP Gov to take over all state Hindu mutts

11-25-2005, 05:27 PM

07:29 GMT Saturday 26 Nov 2005 12:59 IST

Andhra Pradesh Government to take over all state Hindu mutts

In a controversial decision, the Andhra government has decided to
take absolute control of Hindu mutts in the state.

The government is planning to amend the AP Endowments Act to enable
the endowments commissioner to oversee the day-to-day administration
of mutts.Once the act is amended, 181 mutts will come under the
control of the endowments commissioner.The state government is also
thinking of bringing Hindu religious trusts under its absolute
control.

Sources told that the law department had vetted the proposed
amendment. The government will promulgate an ordinance amending the
act after the Winter Session of the Assembly.

Another amendment pertains to scrapping the clause which specifies
that only officials above the age of 45 should be appointed as
endowments commissioner.

This is being done in the wake of the high court nullifying the
appointment of IAS official J.S.V. Prasad as endowments commissioner
since he did not fulfil the age requirement.The proposal to take
over Hindu mutts was pending for the past four years.

Sources said that mutts such as Hathiramji of Tirupati, Raghavendra
of Mantralaya, Byragi of West Godavari and Gavi in Uravakonda in
Anathapur, which have assets worth crores of rupees, would come
under the control of the government.

"Earlier, the government could interfere in the affairs of mutts
under special circumstances such as financial misappropriation,"
said an official. "With the amendment, the government will be able
to oversee the administration on day-to-day basis."

Asian Age
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