‘Ayodhya Mandapam,’ originally a community hall situated on the busy Arya Gowda road in West Mambalam area of Chennai, usually sees scores of Hindu devotees offering pooja and prayers. However, on the morning of April 11, unusual scenes were witnessed right outside the Mandapam. Members belonging to the BJP, other right-wing groups, and local residents, staged a massive protest against the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment department’s decision to take over the administration of the property following a favourable order from the Madras High Court.
The takeover of Ayodhya Mandapam has become the latest flashpoint between the ruling DMK government and BJP in Tamil Nadu. BJP state chief K Annamalai alleged that this was a deliberate move by the DMK government to stop Ram bhajans or satsangs from happening at the Mandapam. Several other right-wing groups also expressed similar sentiments and accused the DMK of being anti-Hindu, and specifically, anti-Brahmin. The discourse in several Hindu communities portrays the takeover of the administration of Ayodhya Mandapam as a move to victimise Hindus, specifically Brahmins, by the current DMK government. However, the process for this takeover started back in 2013, when the AIADMK was in power, based on complaints by a Brahmin man who was also the ex-president of Ayodhya Mandapam, alleging misappropriation of funds by the society running the hall/temple.
The decision of the HR&CE department to appoint a “fit person” to manage the administration of the Mandapam was taken on December 31, 2013, when the AIADMK was in power. This, after they received multiple complaints of financial mismanagement, tax evasion and other irregularities against the Sri Ram Samaj, a society which managed the affairs of the Ayodhya Mandapam.
Apart from Ayodhya Mandapam, the Sri Ram Samaj also manages a wedding hall called Mithilapuri Kalyana Mandapam, Sri Sitaram Vidyalaya School, and Ganavapi — a place where funeral rites are conducted by priests in Chennai.
Interestingly, these complaints of “statutory violations” and “misappropriation of public funds” against the Ayodhya Mandapam management were made in the year 2013 by a 67-year-old social activist MV Ramani, who was the ex-president and senior life member of the Sri Ram Samaj. According to the complaint copies accessed by The News Minute, “the money collected from the devotees during poojas as contributions were not reflected in the book of accounts,” and it was allegedly used by the committee members for their personal use. Similarly, “there is no account of the gold and silver contributed by devotees through the Hundi.” This was also flagged in an audit report, MV Ramani said in his complaint.
Ramani also alleged that the money collected from people during Sanipeiyarchi, Gurupeiyarchi, Maha Sandi Homam, Ram Navami, Navaratri, and Margazhi month poojas, are not maintained properly. “Thousands of people attend events like Seetha Kalyanam and Radha Kalyanam at the mandapam. However, the contributions and donations made during such events do not reflect in the book of accounts,” he added in his complaint.
“This society is completely funded by public money collected in the form of donations and contributions. The Samaj owns property worth more than Rs 100 crore. People have donated gold and silver, there is zero accountability," MV Ramani said in a press conference on Wednesday.
Further, the complainant also mentioned 13 grounds for the HR&CE department to take over Ayodhya Mandapam’s administration from Sri Ram Samaj in view of the alleged irregularities.
Based on the complaints from MV Ramani and considering the seriousness of the allegations, the HR&CE department conducted an inquiry, during which they also found out that bronze idols of gods including Rama, Lakshmana and Sita were installed inside the Ayodhya Mandapam and poojas were being performed twice a day. A separate temple was built for Hanuman inside the premises. Regular poojas were conducted and devotees were also given prasadam, just like any other temple in the state — making it a 'temple' as per HR&CE rules.
Following the probe, the HR&CE department decided to appoint a ‘Thakkar’ (Executive Officer) to take over the administration of Sri Ram Samaj on December 31, 2013. The order of the government department also highlighted certain glaring violations on part of the Sri Ram Samaj.
“Detailed investigation was conducted by the Assistant Commissioner of the HR&CE department and Sri Ram Samaj, the organisation, was asked submit a list of nine documents, including details of properties owned by the organisation, the book of accounts related to school and wedding hall managed by them, details of donations made by devotees in the past few years, the expenses incurred by the Samaj throughout the year and the revenue earned from properties owned by the Samaj,” read the executive order of the HR&CE department accessed by TNM.
However, Sri Ram Samaj allegedly refused to divulge details that were requested by the HR&CE department as part of their inquiry. “A written submission was made by the Samaj and the replies were not related to the subject,” the order of the department said.
The above-mentioned details are some of the main reasons why the HR&CE department decided to take over the management of Sri Ram Samaj during late former Chief Minister J Jayalilathaa’s tenure. This move was challenged by the Samaj in the Madras High Court, which granted an interim stay on the executive order for over eight years.
The stay was vacated by the Madras High Court in a judgment dated March 17, 2022, and the Court also dismissed Sri Ram Samaj’s contention that Ayodhya Mandapam is not a public temple for the HR&CE department to take over. The organisation argued that idols kept inside the property are not consecrated as per Agama Sastra and even the poojas are not conducted according to the Agama Sastra.
The favourable judgment from the court allowed the HR&CE department to take over the administration of Ayodhya Mandapam on Monday amid angry protests by members of the BJP and other right wing supporters. Though the order was immediately challenged by the Samaj in the court, the court refused to give an interim stay and issued notice to the HR&CE department. The case will be taken up for hearing on April 21 once again.
Responding to the malicious campaign against him in a press conference, MV Ramani said, “The present management of the Samaj is upset because they have been using all this as their own property and now with HR&CE taking over it is becoming difficult for them. They ask me why I lodged a complaint. Just because we belong to the Brahmin community doesn’t mean that we can violate the law and get away with it. Such thoughts should not occur to anyone.”
Speaking to TNM, MV Ramani said, “The HR&CE department has inquired into all the allegations and they have issued an order. They would not pass an order for me without looking into the merits of the case. This is a very long battle. The management must be careful, they are dealing with public money. I cannot comment more as the matter is subjudice.”
Incidentally, Ayodhya Mandapam is also the place from where Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi inaugurated the 69th Ram Navami festival on April 1. During his speech, he also said that India is marching ahead to fulfill Mahatma Gandhi’s dream of becoming a Ram Rajya.
Even before the Governor kicked off the Ram Navami celebrations, activist MV Ramani wrote a detailed letter to him asking him to reconsider his decision to participate in the spiritual/cultural functions organised by Sri Ram Samaj. “It is a habit of the vested interest (management of Sri Ram Samaj) to invite high level officers of State and Centre to camouflage all their misdeeds and serious offenses committed in the day-to-day affairs of the society," he told the Governor in his letter.
After the verdict of the Madras High Court, MV Ramani alleges that he has been receiving phone calls threatening him of dire consequences. The senior citizen has lodged a police complaint seeking protection.