Chilkur temple priest urges Telangana to protect rights of Hindu deities

Hyderabad: Chilkur Balaji temple head priest C Rangarajan on Thursday said that the Telangana government should protect the rights of Hindu deities.

Chevella MP Ranjith Reddy, who visited the temple on Thursday, assured to take the request of Rangarajan over the protection of Hindu Deity Rights with Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao. As the first MP who had supported the Article 363 dispute which is a fall out of the 'unfortunate' Sabarimala judgement, Reddy has also written to Justice Venkatachaliah seeking his views on the Constitutionality of this dispute.

Meanwhile, Rangarajan said that the State government had worked for revival and conservation of temple system and hence, they wish to represent the wish of devotees of God for justice as per Dharma on Article 363 Hindu Deity Rights dispute pending with the President of India. Article 363 Hindu Deity Rights dispute itself is raised by Shri Chilkur Balaji Deity of Telangana.

Rangarajan said that in view of the fact that two former Judges of High court and former Chief Secretary have already given opinion favourable to Hindu Deities, the right course was to refer the dispute to a panel of retired Judges of Supreme Court headed by former Chief Justice of India, Justice Venkatachaliah. Rangarajan said that the States of Tamil Nadu and Kerala have inherited the constitutional obligation of agreement with Shri Padmanabha Swamy Ruler Deity arising from Trippadidanam deed of dedication of Travancore Kingdom to Deity as is clear from Article 290A.

"We feel such a decision by the Centre will protect the spirit of Article 143 advice in the context of Article 363. We suggest that the panel be headed by Justice Venkatachaliah as he had headed the National Commission on Working of the Constitution. Due to Sabarimala judgement, it is very clear that our Constitution is not working to protect Hindu Deity interests," said Rangarajan.