Government funds used to sponsor KCR gold donations, is it justified? ask activists

 

When news broke that Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhara Rao was going to offer a gold moustache (bangaru meesalu) costing around Rs 75,000 at the Kuravi Veerabhadra Swamy Temple, it was enough to set people talking.  

 

Activists have now gone to court to recover money from his pocket. Dr Lubna Sarwath has filed a petition in Hyderabad High Court against KCR asking from where did this money come from. The petition demands that Rao pay for the gift as it was illegal to use public funds for such things. 

 

Not just that his recent visit to the Tirumala temple, Sri Venkateshwara Temple, and Padmavati Temple also saw him making headlines for the gold offerings he made, over Rs 5 crore

 

It would not have been a matter of concern since it was a personal vow taken by KCR and his fulfilling it shows, he is a man of his word but that is not the case. This money has been taken under GO MS 23 (Government Order) which states that KCR had been granted this on behalf of the Endowments Department under the Government of Telangana from the Common Good Funds.

 

The order clearly details the Rs 5 crore worth gold has been sanctioned for offering at the Sri Venkateshwara Temple in Tirumala.

 

 

We know how much KCR battled and fasted for the creation of a separate state called Telangana, however, paying for his vow from the pocket of the government which contain funds for the use of the people in the state is completely unjustified.

 

KCR is not necessarily known to be austere in any manner. We can always hark back to the palatial office-cum-residence complex with the bullet-proof toilet. It was just when demonetisation set in and the Telangana CM was indulged in such ostentatious display.

 

You can read the story : Telangana CM KCR gets bulletproof 9-acre home amid cash crunch

 

That is not at all, a report in the Hindustan Times, said that KCR had organised Ayutha Chandi Maha Yagnam to bring good tidings to the newly created state. It had been estimated to cost up to Rs 3 crores, but not a penny would be spent from the state exchequer apparently. This are just few examples of his obsession with gods, yagnas, rituals and vaastu.

 

Let us first look at the purpose of the Common Good Fund, which  is created under Section 70(1)(a) of Endowment Act from the contributions made by the Charitable and Hindu Religious Institutions whose annual income exceeds Rs 50,000. They contribute at the rate of 5% of the assessable income of the institutions. The funds are utilised for (1) Renovation, Preservation, Maintenance of Hindu temples in needy circumstances, (2) Dhoopa Deepa Naivedyam to needy temples, (3) Establishment and maintenance of Veda Pathasalas, Agama Pathasalas and Schools for training, in Archakatwam, Adhyapapaktwam etc..

 

Nowhere does it say for the fulfilment of personal vows and extravagant donations of gold. Clearly the Telangana government is in violation of the rules, but surprisingly there is no official reprimand nor a whimper from the Centre. Why is a blind eye being turned to this misuse of a taxpayer’s money? Not only that,  he is blatantly rubbing this in the face of the taxpayers by travelling with a whole coterie and that too on special aircraft, vehicles etc.. all funded by the state citizens.  

 

 

Did the gods actually need appeasing, or does Telangana have excess funds to spend in this manner?

 

We can see that there are many issues plaguing Telangana, and the gods are in no way helping.

 

Acute drinking water shortage due to drastic fall in water levels in major reservoirs, continuing crisis in agriculture, two years of successive droughts have crippled the agrarian culture in the state. Farmers are migrating to other small towns in search of livelihood, and those unable to have resorted to suicide. The death rates alarmingly high for such a new state. Most have even sold off their cattle to make ends meet.

 

Also read: Telangana reels under bandh protesting dam in KCR's backyard

 

Mission Kakatiya for restoration of irrigation tanks and Mission Bhagiratha for piped drinking water supply to every household was KCR’s response but has it really helped? The results are yet to be declared, while the situation remains grim.

 

The opposition has also accused KCR of ignoring an apparent ‘unemployment crisis’ in the state and for not providing enough employment opportunities despite many government posts lying vacant.

 

 

Also KCR educationalists and activists have accused KCR over the inordinate delay in releasing fee reimbursement dues. Of the Rs 4,400 crore the state government owed colleges, including for the 2016-17 academic year, only Rs 1,658 crore has been released till date.

 

Clearly, KCR’s thinks these needs are secondary to appeasing the gods.

 

On a separate note, it is strange that KCR is contributing to some of the richest temples in Andhra Pradesh, ignoring the temples in Telangana itself.

 

If KCR had only served his state and spent those lavish offerings on the development of Telangana, by providing credit to the beleaguered farmers of his state, and more, he would have truly earned the blessings of the Gods and the state.