Chennai, Jun 7 (IANS): Maintaining that the Sri Sabanayagar Temple, Chidambaram is a public temple, the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment (HR&CE) department of Tamil Nadu has announced to inspect its accounts on Tuesday and Wednesday.

In a statement, the department said that it was competent to conduct an inquiry into the administration of the temple as it was a public temple. The HR&CE commissioner has called upon the Dikshithars to cooperate with the investigation and that the order for conducting an inspection will not be recalled.

HR&CE commissioner R. Kannan, in a letter to Secretary Podhu Dikshithars, has clarified that the proceedings issued by the department did not violate the rights conferred by the Supreme Court and also have not restrained the Dikshithars from carrying out the administration of the temple.

The Sri Sabanayagar temple was declared public property in several court judgments, the department was competent enough to constitute a committee and conduct an inspection, the letter read.

Notably, the Commissioner of the HR&CE department had on May 26, written a letter to Secretary, Podhu Dikshithars that acting on petitions received, the department had constituted a committee to inspect the records of the temple since 2014. This inquiry is on the income/expenses of the temple, valuation of jewels and assets of the temple, and inspection of the audit reports of the temple.

The Secretary of Podhu Dikshithars had objected to this and stated that the Sri Sabanayagar temple was not a public temple and that the move of the HR&CE department was aimed at state-sponsored oppression of a micro-community of Dikshithars who are around 1,500 people and performing religious duties.

The commissioner responded that the Sri Sabanayagar temple was a public temple established by the former Kings and endowed several acres of properties for its maintenance and said that the commissioner had the power to appoint a committee to inquire into the affairs of the temple to streamline its administration.

Heavy police protection is provided at the temple premises to prevent any untoward law and order situations due to the objection of the Podhu Dikshithars to the inspection to be carried out.