HR&CE seals shops in temple mandapam; traders intensify shutdown in Kanniyakumari

HR&CE seals shops in temple mandapam; traders intensify shutdown in Kanniyakumari

Following the sealing of shops at Kanniyambalam Mandapam, belonging to the Kanniyakumari Bagavathi Amman temple, by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) department on Wednesday, traders across Kanniyakumari town for the second consecutive day have downed shutters in protest.

A public interest litigation filed in the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court, alleging that the Kanniyambalam Mandapam, which connects Sannadhi Street and South Car Street had been encroached by the local traders for the past few years. The petition stated that it has been a long standing practice during festival times, for the temple deities of Bagavathi Amman temple mounted on celestial carriers, to pass through the mandapam, as it also houses a Vinayakar shrine.

However, due to the negligence of HR&CE and Kanniyakumari Bagavathi Amman Temple administration, the mandapam has become a godown and shops had been constructed by altering its floors and pillars of the mandapam. The petitioner sought for the restoration of the mandapam, stating that it was a heritage structure that should be preserved made known to the public and tourists and pujas must be carried out at the Vinayakar shrine.

Based on that, the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court had issued an order dated February 10, stating that the joint commissioner had been involved in exploiting the temple property for financial gain. The court observed that the writ petitioners have no right to occupy or damage the antique and ancient structures of the temple, on the strength of illegal permission granted by Joint Commissioner (JC)of HR&CE department. The court has ordered the JC, HR&CE, Kanniyakumari to take necessary assistance from police and remove the entire encroachment and seal it and file it along with photographs, observing that even a further day’s delay would lead to deterioration of structure.

Accordingly, the HR&CE officials sealed the shops in Kanniyambalam Mandapam on Wednesday.

This has triggered protest from shop owners, who stated that they had been paying nominal rent for these shops and the sudden eviction would affect their livelihood. They sought the HR&CE to make alternative arrangements to set up their shops.