The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) has decided to dissolve the advisory committee of a temple in the Kollam district where the RSS ‘gana geetham’ (prayer song) was sung during a musical concert.
The TDB, which manages the majority of temples in the Travancore region of Kerala, alleged serious lapses on the part of the committee of the Manjipuzha temple in Kottukal.
It was alleged that in addition to rendering the RSS prayer song, flags and pillars were also erected on the temple premises, and the Kottarakkara Devaswom assistant commissioner conducted an investigation into this, the TDB said.
Based on the report by the assistant commissioner of Kottarakkara Devaswom, TDB officials said the Kottukkal Manjipuzha temple advisory committee would be dissolved immediately.
The TDB pointed out that flags of political parties, religious and communal organisations, or flags resembling them, should not be hoisted or symbols displayed in the temple or temple premises, as per a high court order. In this regard, a meeting of district deputy devaswom commissioners, assistant devaswom commissioners, and devaswom commissioners was held at the Travancore Devaswom Board headquarters on Tuesday.
The TDB said that if political, religious and communal organisations are allowed to hoist their flags or propagate their ideology in temples under the Travancore Devaswom Board, strict action will be taken against the officials responsible for it.
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