KERALA, INDIA, February 1, 2007: The Government of Kerala has passed an order eliminating the Travancore-Cochin Devaswom Act that was established over 50 years ago. The news report explains, “The ordinance is an attempt to curtail the powers of the Travancore and Cochin Devaswom boards, which manage most of the temples in Kerala. The decision comes in the wake of allegations of corruption in the Travancore Devaswom Board, which governs the Sabarimala temple and earns about Rs 70 crore a year. The three-member Devaswom board will now include one woman and one member from the SC/ST community (scheduled castes and scheduled tribes). But now the big question is (concludes the news article): how far the government will keep away from the day-to-day activities of temples in Kerala, as such interference would have serious implications?”
A daily summary of world news for Hindus and non-Hindus alike