The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), responsible for the management of temples in Kerala, has recently issued a new directive emphasizing the strict enforcement of its previous order prohibiting RSS ‘shakhas’ (branches) or mass drills within the temples under its jurisdiction.
On May 18, the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) issued a circular stating that their previous order from 2021, which directed officials to prevent the sangh parivar organization from utilizing temple properties for weapons training, was not being adhered to. The circular further emphasized that strict action would be taken against any officials who fail to comply with the TDB’s directive.
The TDB had in 2016 issued a circular banning all types of arms’ training in the temple complexes by the RSS. Later, on March 30, 2021, the board reissued the circular asking the officials to take action in this regard.
A senior TDB official said that the circular was reissued this time to ensure that the operation of RSS ‘shakhas’ inside temple premises was not allowed.
In 2016, the then Devaswom Minister, Kadakampally Surendran, had alleged that the RSS was trying to turn temples into storehouses of arms in Kerala and that the government had been receiving a large number of complaints in this regard.
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