Pejavara Sri advocates for autonomy for temples to enhance social welfare

Team Udayavani, Jul 16, 2024, 6:08 PM IST

Mangaluru: There is an urgent need to grant autonomy to temples, liberating them from government control, said Udupi Sri Pejawara Math’s Sri Vishwaprasanna Theertha Swamiji on Tuesday.

Speaking to the media in Mangaluru, he stated that previous requests to free temples from government oversight have not been heeded. It is completely wrong to claim that temples are not engaging in socially beneficial activities by keeping them under government control, he said.

Swamiji urged the government to implement the directives of the Supreme Court regarding this matter. He stressed that the wealth donated by devotees to temples should be returned to the devotees. Only then can educational and medical institutions be established by the temples, thereby, benefiting society at large.

Construction Resumes in Ayodhya

Swamiji also mentioned that construction activities in Ayodhya Ram Mandir have resumed.  The ongoing work is progressing smoothly. “I had visited Ayodhya a few days ago to oversee the developments,” he said.