Spiritual Guru Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev and Isha Foundation have urged Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and the Leader of the Opposition MK Stalin to free temples that are controlled by bureaucrats and politicians. The Isha Foundation head said that thousands of temples, under government control, are being ruined and noted that the governments have no right to control religious places, according to the Indian Constitution. 

Also read: ‘Want to do your own thing, you must pay a price’: Sadhguru on marriage, infidelity and astrology

Using a hashtag of ‘#FreeTNTemples,’ Sadhguru in a tweet said, “We cannot preside over decades of neglect & apathy. Amounts to spiritual suicide for Community.” The spiritual leader launched the movement a couple of weeks ago and has urged Palaniswami and Stalin to include the promise in their election manifestos.

Also Read | Kangana Ranaut credits Sadhguru for introducing her to the culture, people of Tamil Nadu

On Wednesday, Sadhguru on Twitter said that he will put out 100 tweets ‘just out of deep pain’ and said, “Anguished cry of the community must be heard.” 

According to the special Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act, states have control over Hindu temples, even though all religions manage their own spaces of worship. 

Also read: Isha Mahashivratri 2021: Sadhguru launches Missed Call campaign to #FreeTNTemples from state control

Sadhguru said, “The State government has admitted before the Madras High Court around 1,200 idol images (Murthis) of various temples have been stolen. A police officer has said in many temples, fake idol images have been reinstalled,” The New Indian Express quoted. 

Temples are not mere buildings, they have been ‘souls of a tradition’ for a thousand years, the Isha Foundation head said.