Chennai, Sept 22 (BPNS)
The Tamil Nadu Wakf Board has claimed that the 1500-year-old Manendiyavalli Chandrashekhara Swami temple land is now its property. The temple has 369 acres of property in and around Tiruchenthurai village in Tiruchi district of Tamil Nadu.
The issue started when a local farmer, Rajagopal tried to sell his 1 acre 2 cents of land at Tiruchenthurai village to another person, he was told by the registrar’s office that the land does not belong to him but to the Tamil Nadu WaKf board.
Rajagopal told media persons that the registrar told him that the land does not belong to him but instead to the Tamil Nadu Wakf Board and that he should get a no- objection certificate from the WaKf board office in Chennai.
The astonished and bewildered farmer told the registrar that he had purchased the land in 1992 and that why he needs the no –objection certificate from the WaKf board.
The registrar, according to Rajagopal, told him that the Tamil Nadu Wakf board has sent a 250-page letter to the Deeds Department stating that any land transaction in Tiruchendurai village must be done only with a no-objection certificate from it.
It also stated that the entire landed property in the village belonged to it. The local people were surprised and astonished when they came to know of the directive from the WaKf board and almost everyone in the village has the land in his/ her name.
BJP Tiruchi district secretary, Alur Prakash while speaking to BPNS said, “ The entire village is a Hindu-dominated area and how can WaKf board own this property.”
He further said, “ The Chandrashekhara Swamy temple in the village is owing 389 acres of land and is a 1500-year-old temple. Is this land also WaKf property.”
Meanwhile, the Tiruchi district collector told Rajagopal and others who had apprised him of the issue that the matter would be investigated and further action would be taken in the days to come.
True to his words the District collector of Tiruchi held a meeting with Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment (HR&CE) representatives, WaKf board representatives, Police, and revenue officials at Srirangam and decided that the title deeds at Tiruchendurai village can be carried out as usual.
Tamil Nadu Inspector General of Registration has taken up the matter for further investigation and detailed inquiry on the claims made by the WaKf board.
