Did the previous DMK-run State government rob the gods of their gold? That’s what Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa suspects, going by State HR and CE Minister MSM Anandan’s allegations in the State Assembly on Wednesday. Participating in a discussion on the demands for grants for his department, Anandan alleged that the DMK regime had concentrated mostly on work which required the usage of gold owned by various temples in the State.
He said the government had taken about 500 kg of gold from different temples and used it to make gold chariots, gold vimana (the structure that is built over the sanctum sanctorum of the temple) and gold flagstaffs for temples such as the Samayapuram Mariamman temple, Uraiyur Venkkaliyamman, Tirupporur Kandasamy temple and Azhagar Kovil Solaimalai Murugan temple. Anandan alleged that the fraud of the DMK government would come to light if the actual quantity of gold used for the intended works was calculated, and added that devotees have suspicions whether even a third of the 500 kg of gold were used for the works.
The minister said the CM had ordered an examination of all works undertaken with gold during the previous DMK regime. The government led by Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa had taken great efforts to protect the assets and customs of the temples in the State, he added.