New York trust wins Ganesh temple case

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New York trust wins right to manage Flushing temple

 

George Joseph in New York | March 12, 2006 21:40 IST

 

 

In a resounding victory for the trustees of the Hindu Temple Society

in Queens, New York, all the 11 candidates representing the incumbent

Temple trustees won election to the board.

 

The society manages the Ganesh Temple in Flushing, the first and

largest temple in the US.

 

The election was held in January as per the orders of the court after

a lawsuit by a group of people seeking democratic elections.

 

Justice Joseph Golia of the New York Supreme Court announced the

results at a hearing in Queens, NY.

 

There were 208 candidates and more than 8000 voters.

 

The highest number of votes went to Dr Uma Mysorekar, current

president of the Hindu Temple Society of North America, with 2,759

votes. All of the other current board candidates also received over

2,000 votes.

 

Those who initiated the lawsuit failed to gain even a single seat on

the board, polling hundreds of votes less than the current trustees.

 

Dr Mysorekar stated, "This is a vindication of what we have said all

along: the board members have been excellent stewards of the temple.

Although the courts have unconstitutionally forced us to conduct this

election at the insurgents' behest, we are still happy that devotees

have given us their confidence and trust."

 

Robert Greene, a counsel to The Becket Fund, which supported the

temple in the lawsuit, said, "We are very happy that the devotees

have resoundingly demonstrated their commitment to the First

Amendment and freedom of religion. We will continue to fight to have

the New York State Courts recognise the temple's right to organise

and manage itself without state interference."

 

In an earlier interview before the results came, Krishnan Chittur,

the attorney who filed the cases against the present trustee board

headed by Mysorekar, said the election itself was a victory for their

group. "We are happy that an election is being held. We will accept

the verdict of the members, whatever it may be. We were fighting for

transparency and accountability in the temple affairs," he said.

 

Six people had filed a case against the trustees in 2001 demanding

elections. Of these, only three contested the election.

 

New York State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer also filed a brief in

the court supporting the trustee board.

 

http://ia.rediff.com/news/2006/mar/12temple.htm