The Devaswom Board is headed by CPM leaders who control the Kerala govt. The circular has been issued again pointing out that the officials are not following the order issued two years ago. The new order comes amid the inclusion of party leaders in the advisory committees of the Devaswom Board and the deliberate capture of other temple committees by the CPM.

Many temples, including the great temples in Kerala, were restored as part of the Hindu renaissance. At that time, the CPM demanded that the temples should be demolished and agriculture should be done there. CPM’s approach was that temples are the centre of superstitions.

The temple restoration efforts led by the Kerala kshetra SamrakshanaSamithi  and its former form, the Malabar kshetra SamrakshanaSamithi  brought the temples of Kerala to their present state. Sangha Sakhas are held in some of these temple sanctuaries. As the temples were renovated and the revenue increased, the government continued to take over the temples through the Devaswom Boards in anticipation of financial gain.

The decision of the Travancore Devaswom Board will not adversely affect the Sangha sakhas in any way. The vast majority of sakhas in Kerala are held in public places, private places and our own places. A few sakhas are held on temple grounds under the Devaswom Board with the full cooperation of local devotees. The current circular of the Devaswom Board aims to take over temples, cover up corruption in temple administration and engage with Muslim communal organizations under the guise of taking action against the RSS.