Thread by @Dharmocratic

A must read article on the #FreeHinduTemples issue. The whole system is set up to milk money from temples.

"So, how do the state governments manage Hindu temples today? Let us take Sri Dhandayuthapani Swamy Temple, Palani, Tamil Nadu as an example."

theprint.in/opinion/indian…

"All hundi collections are deposited in the designated temple bank account. Of this, 14 per cent goes as administration fees, 4 per cent as audit fees (Section 92), 25-40 per cent as salaries and 1-2 per cent for prayers and other festival expenses."

"Between 4-10 per cent of the total collections go to the ‘Commissioner Common Good Fund’ (Section 97). Further, money is transferred to various popular schemes run by the government like free meals and marriages."

"This way, 65-70 per cent of the temple income is used for non-temple or merely administrative purposes. Note that the Archakas who perform the prayers are paid meagre salaries, and sometimes nothing at all."

"The bank account is in the name of the deity or the Devasthan. Since these temples are constituted under a State Act, their income is exempt from income tax under section 10 (23BBA) of the Income-Tax Act."

"However, for reasons unknown, 782 of the 35,793 temples in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry applied for permanent account numbers (PAN) as a trust. Forming a trust with trustees works for a new temple but not for temples that came into existence hundreds of years ago."

"Therefore, if a trust spends less than 85 per cent of total donations in a given year, income-tax, at rates applicable to individuals, is payable on the difference between amounts spent and amount received."

Now the most crucial part:

"So, if the temple income is either not spent by the government-appointed officers or surplus money placed in fixed deposits, hundi donations are taxed. This way Hindu temples have become a tool to contribute to the government treasury."

"... temple property has de-facto become pseudo-government property. According to T.R. Ramesh, President, Temple Worshippers Society Chennai – “Between 1986 and 2005 Tamil Nadu temples simply ‘lost’ 47,000 acres of land and..."

"... currently more than 10 million square feet of valuable sites belonging to Hindu Temples in Tamil Nadu are under encroachment."

@trramesh

"He adds, “In Tamil Nadu temples have over 478,000 plus acres of land, 2.44 cr sq feet of property for which the TN HR & CE department gets only Rs 58 crs p.a. In reality income from all temples, mutts would, on a conservative basis generate Rs 6,000 cr p.a.” "

"...idols from ancient temples, part of India’s heritage, go missing. In any well-managed organisation, those responsible would be held accountable and punished, but not in the government."