Devotees flee as Sai Baba temple trustees clash
By Express News Service - HYDERABAD
14th August 2012 07:55 AM
Devotees ran helter-skelter when two groups of functionaries of Shirdi Sai Baba temple at Dilsukhnagar here clashed with each other and nearly came to blows on Monday. As tempers ran high, police had to be called in to restore order.
The unsavoury incident took place when S.Jayaswamy, former chairman of Shri Shirdi Sai Baba Sansthan Trust, arrived at the temple along with his followers to appear before assistant commissioner of endowments Ramanamurthy who has been appointed as the enquiry officer to probe alleged irregularities in the temple.
Jayaswamy, who accused the incumbent managing committee members of misappropriation of Rs 10 crore of temple money, was prevented from entering the premises by the present committee members and their followers. As the two groups threatened each other and were ready to exchange blows, police intervened and dispersed the groups.
Meanwhile, the scared devotees ran for safety. The enquiry officer returned without conducting the enquiry with the present trustees producing a letter from endowments minister C.Ramachandraiah ordering postponement of the inquiry for six weeks.
Trust general secretary A Narasimha Rao lodged a complaint against Jayaswamy and his followers with the Saroornagar police that they created ruckus at the temple. Jayaswamy, the former chairman, has accused the present trustees of misappropriating Rs 10 crore funds of the temple since 1986.
‘‘The trustees have been cheating the devotees by changing the temple’s name often. The temple was started as Shirdi Bhaktha Mandali in 1984 in a 500 square yard government land. Later, the trustees changed the name four times. For the present, it is named Sri Shirdi Sai Baba Sansthan Trust.’’
Jayaswamy also alleged that the trustees were not showing the accounts of donations given by devotees and that the audit report pointed out misappropriation. ‘’Forty-three trustees have colluded and swindled the donations.
An amount of Rs 18 lakh was swindled in the queue complex construction, Rs 1.50 to 2 core in the construction of Dharmasala which is being built as Shirdi at a cost of Rs 30 crore, and there was misappropriation even in the purchase of hundis,’’ he alleged.
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Comments(4)
Corruption & Swindling in Temples. Come on! But there is GOD in Temples! So Corruption cannot be there in a place of GOD can there be? That is the way they cover up things. Where there is man, there is Corruption. In my knowledge of Temples i have visited and heard of, there is Swindling in every Temple, you name it. The Primary purpose of Temple is supposed to be about GOD. But you got it wrong. Temple or any other Place of Worship( All Religions!) is nothing but Business. It is all about the Collection Box! And so is Education, a Business. So there is swindling going on everywhere. Such is life. I advise people Not to give money to any Temples. Instead invest it in young kids.( To improve the Human Development Index of young Indians) I have one request for Governments, the world across. They should tax all Places of Worship. You will see a difference. We need all these Taxes from Places of Worship, to eradicate poverty and educate children!
Posted by Venkat at 08/14/2012 08:30 Reply to this Report abuse
the news which is published is not the correct news .As per my observation and knowledge and also by verfying all the documents related to temple provided by saibaba sansthan trustees shows that they have developed a temple a lot without any corruption , the documents have proved it ,and moreover since childhood onwards iam going to temple the temple is taken care very much by the trustees by doing a lot of hardwork in bringing up the temple to such a good state. so guys few good people are there still on earth dont consider all are currupted. Dilsuknagar saibaba temple trustees are sincere at financial matters they are not currupted , without knowing clearly about anything dont simply blame people.
Posted by sai vara prasad at 08/14/2012 15:34 Reply to this Report abuse
I was stunned and speechless when I read the news. The news has shaken me to the core, that this should happen in the temple of Shirdi Sai, who was a Great Saint, a True Godman, an Incarnation of God, but lived the life of a fakhir, a pauper, blessing everyone, whether Hindu, Muslim, or Christian, with happiness and prosperity, until his mahasamadhi.
Posted by Dhanushkodi at 08/14/2012 09:12 Reply to this Report abuse
Shiridi Sai Baba Sansthan Trust is mini AP or a mini state. As the states in India is corrupted in the same way the temple. For what purpose they are developing the temple, is it not enough to have luxurious temple. Why can't they use that money in the development of poor. There are many people who are dying of starvation. Why not this temple money is used for the betterment of the poor rather than building lavish buildings. At the end who will use those only the rich. The temple members feel as if they are the president or ministers of parliment. They do a lot of show-off. They just strive for the position in the temple and they showed their prominence by doing rucksack at the temple premisis. I agree with Venkat, people should not donate money to temple rather they can use that money in some other betterment. Guys there are many places or people who are need of your help, go and help them rather than wasting your precious time and hard-earned money.
Posted by Padmaja Ramesh at 08/14/2012 16:17 Reply to this Report abuse