Keep royal family out of temple administration: Amicus curiae

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Amicus curiae Gopal Subramanyam has recommended for removal of special rights of Travancore royal family on temple administration. He has made this recommendation in a report submitted before two judges in the Supreme Court.

The report says: The Royal family should not interfere in the administration of the temple directly or indirectly. Instead of considering the temple property as a public wealth, the royal family members are considering it as their private property. The family members can go to temple and pray. They can also give any suggestion in writing to the new temple administrative committee.

“The royal family has not submitted the full report on the temple properties in the court. Thiruvananthapuram is just a city of Kerala, a state of Democratic republic nation called India. Many in the city still believe the Raja’s rule still prevails,” says the report which also suggests that the temple administrative officer be replaced with a former executive officer.

The report further says that there is an illegal association between temple staff and royal family. The state government had also joined the royal family to mislead the Supreme Court. The wage of the temple staff should be hiked. On the other hand, a separate box should be kept for depositing the money given to assistant temple priest.

In the administration of the temple, the government showed apathy. The temple administrators didn’t help the expert committee appointed by the Supreme Court. The executive officer did remote administration. There is anomaly in the temple accounts. Auditor and Comptroller General’s service should be sought to do proper auditing of the temple wealth and income.  

Many temple properties have been illegally encroached upon and these properties should be retrieved. And, it should be protected in the future. All sub-registrar offices in the State should be instructed to give the details regarding the transaction of Sree Padmanabha Swami Minor properties.

The 537-page report also adds: Central forces should be deployed along with Kerala police to provide security to the temple. The executive officer will not have any power over the police in charge of the security. The police should also re-investigate the finding of a body in the temple pond during Lakshadeepam and the acid throwing incident in which temple staff Padmanabha Das sustained burns.