Dear Devotees and followers of Hindusim,
As you are aware, I have beed convening all the forces that are struggling to revive the Temples System in Andhra Pradesh. I have undertaken efforts to bring the need for amending the 30/87 Endowments Act for the past 20 years. I am not going into all those efforts but would limit myself in making you know certain startling facts, which happened behind the scenes but played a major role in the snubbing of the 7/2007 Endowment Amendment Bill that was a culmination of efforts of the past one year.

About one year ago, on 26th April 2006, when Archakas from all over Andhra Pradesh were agitating in front of Endowment office, The Hon’ Endowment Minister issued a detail Press Note with a commitment with in one month he would get 30/87 Endowments Act amended.

The commitment give to the entire state by the Endowment Minister dated 26th April 2006 had been forgotten even after one year there is NO ACTION on this.

On the 18th of December 2006, I could meet the Hon’ Chief Minister who was present along with Hon’ Endowment Minister in the Legislative Assembly out side Chief Ministers cabin. When I explained the need for the introduction to the Amendment Bill, the Chief Minister took my hand and kept in Endowments Minister hand and said “Please have it done.” To which Endowments Minister J.C. Diwakar Reddy replied, “On 29th December there is a Cabinet Meeting Sir, we will get the Bill approved and get it in the form of an Ordinance.”

Even the Chief Minister’s request is forgotten and there is NO ACTION.

On the floor of the Assembly, on 9th March 2007, at the time when the issue was being debated under the Rule 74, the Endowments Minister mentioned in the House, "The Bill has been approved by me the Chief Minister also approved it. We will get the Amendment Bill passed in this Session it self."

Even after mentioning in the Assembly, there is absolutely NO ACTION.

I appealed to the Hon’ Speaker through a written representation on 13th March 2006. The Hon’ Speaker reminds the Government about the commitment made in Assembly, which cannot be ignored. The file relating to the Amendment Bill picks up speed now and after all the Legal Formalities, the Endowments Minister introduces the Bill 7//2007 on 28th March, at the fag end of the Budget Session.

On 30th March 2007 The Bill is listed as item No. 1 in the Agenda much before Appropriation Bill. Even the Appropriation Bill was to be discussed later. The reasons unknown, the Legislature wastes its time on a Judgment by Hon’ Supreme Court and amidst the Pandemonium, this Bill is dropped and Appropriation Bill is taken up and passed in a few seconds. The house is adjourned Sine die.

On 30th March 2007 The Bill is listed as item No. 1 in the Agenda much before Appropriation Bill. Even the Appropriation Bill was to be discussed later. The reasons unknown, the Legislature wastes its time on a Judgment by Hon' Supreme Court and amidst the Pandemonium, this Bill is dropped and Appropriation Bill is taken up and passed in a few seconds. The house is adjourned Sine die.

We feel this was done intentionally.

Adding insult to injury, we find a report in one of the daily Newspaper that the Bill has been referred to a SELECT COMMITTEE.

Dear Devotees and readers, I felt let down as a person who respects the democratic principles and Parliamentary practices, I could not digest this scheming and drafted a strongly worded Press Note protesting against this deviation form the Parliamentary practices.

The Endowment Minister issued a clarification, "How can we refer the Bill toa Select Committee without discussion in the Assembly?" (Andhra Bhoomi 3.4.2007)

Taking cue from this clarification, I met Hon' Minister of Legislative Affairs, the Hon' Chief Minister and the Hon' Speaker and requested them to put it in the Agenda during the truncated Session when the Legislative Council is inaugurated and the Governor's Address has to be thanked for. Though there were some technical limitations in having it included in the Agenda, the Bill gets listed for discussion on 9th of April after the Motion thanking the Governor for his Address is passed.

The Endowment Minister himself has mentioned to the Media that the Bill would be discussed and passed either on 4th or 9th of April.

I have been meeting all the senior Leaders of all the political Parties and appealing them to have the Bill passed. Many of the Archaka Leaders were meeting the Legislative Members individually. Meanwhile as an answer to the misinformation campaign that the Bill will not benefit the Telangana region, the Telagana Archaka Samakhya clarifies that they were supporting this Bill whole heartedly.

Another information was that CPI (M) leaders were opposing this Bill. I had to meet Sri N. Narsimhaiah of the CPI (M) and brief him. He said he had formed his opinion the Bill and was requesting only one thing. There should be a debate in the Assembly on this Bill. Without debate, the Bill should neither be passed nor referred to a SELECT COMMITTEE. He reiterated the same thing 5 minutes before the Endowments Minister made the Statement in the Assembly reffering the Bill to Select Committed.

Before all of these happen, after finding the Item in the Agenda for 9th April 2007, I addressed a letter to all the Members of the Legislature to participate in the Debate on the Bill.

For 3 days beginning from 6th to 8th April and even on the 9th morning, I met many Legislators both individually and along with the Archaka representatives. We met the Floor Leaders of the all the Parties. I can describe what they said individually and how they reacted favorably to the Bill but owing to the context of this story, I am not going to do that. We met the INC, TDP, TRS, BJP, CPI, CPI (M) leaders, and their advisors in their respective parties till the morning of the 9th April.

The readers may please appreciate that we did not refrain from any effort. We did not stop from meeting anyone who could remotely influence the Legislators in favor of this Bill.

The Temple system had to be revived. It has to be revived in villages. The Mass Conversions would stop it this were done. This Amendment Bill will be able to revive 33,000 Temples. We convinced all the Legislators but just before the Chief Minister started his reply to the Governor’s Address, the Endowment Ministers rose to make an announcement referring to the Bill to Select Committee.

The CPI (M) members rose to protest and requested a debate on this. The TDO member protested but… that’s it!!!

The readers ought to know who is responsible in having the Endowment Minister make this Statement. What was the invisible force, which made the Government to make the entire Legislature a victim? Is the Government afraid of the forces that are sponsoring Conversions in Andhra Pradesh?

The entire Congress benches who belong to the party in power were aghast by the announcement of the Endowment Minister. They need an answer because the people belong to their respective constitutions were hoping that this Bill should passed unanimously. They hoped that the Endowment Minister would announce the passing of the Bill with pride similar to a Lion roaring. They hoped that the Minister would have hid head held high by the achievement of passing of this Bill. All the Congress Members have become victims of the whimper like announcement of the referring the Bill to a Select Committee, which was like a whisper succumbing to the weak forces of the corrupt elements in the Endowments Department.

The Government needs to explain Crores of followers of the Temple Worship in Andhra Pradesh that it does not intended to destroy the Temple system by stopping this Bill from being passed.

I would like apologize to all the Devotees that all my efforts undertaken by me as your representative could not yield any result. I could not have the Amendment Bill passed despite all my efforts. Please forgive me for this inaction of mine for which I am very remotely responsible.

Yours Sincerely
Dr.M.V.Soundararajan.

We have now decided to fight the vested interest head on through a series of mass programs that will be announced in due course. We will work to create a major Tsunami though devotees participating at every village in our State, which will wipe out the resistance to this Endowments Amendment Bill once and for all. This movement similar to that of a Tsunami against forces working detrimental to the Temple System will be through awakening campaigns. The Magnitude of this movement will be far bigger than history has seen so far. In this fight we are prepared to sacrifice everything for the sake of future of temple system and we ask each and everyone who has concern for temples at heart to join us. We also appeal to Devotees in various political parties to set aside their political affiliations for the cause of their religion and its future to join us in struggle to rid out temple of these vested interests once and for all.