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Activists demand resignation of 'corrupt' Siddhivinayak trustees

Activists demand resignation of 'corrupt' Siddhivinayak trustees

Author:
Publication: The Indian Express
Date: January 1, 2003

Activists of non-governmental organisation Nirbahy Andolan yesterday met members of the Siddhivinayak temple trust, demanding their resignation on grounds of corruption. They also alleged that the trustees were harassing hawkers in the immediate vicinity of the temple.

Earlier in the week, the NGO had claimed 20 people - social workers and hawkers -would self-immolate on Monday to draw attention to their demands. However, nothing of the -kind happened.

"We had a talk with the trustees and they asked us to give our demands in writing. We will be getting public opinion on practises like charging Rs 50 per person for the privilege of entering the temple without standing in a queue," said Dr Sanjay Salunke of Nirbhay Andolan.

"The Siddhivinayak trust should be dismantled and new members should be brought in to stop the prevalent corrupt practices. The temple receives an average of Rs 8-10 crore by way of donations annually. What do the trustees do with it?

Where does the money go? Now the trustees are also pressurising the stall-owners/hawkers doing business near the temple to clear off. These people have been here for the last 30-40 years, they have proper licences, what right do the trustees have to harass them?" questioned Salunke.

According to the NGO, the hawkers had brought the discrepancies to their notice, a few months ago, asking them to investigate the matter. "We investigated and found their fears to be true. Now, let the government look into it," said Salunke.

Some stall-owners/hawkers admit that the trustees had pressurised them to clear off. "The trustees have been harassing us since the last few months. They have been asking us to go away from this place. But we have licenses from the ward office and this is our only source of income," said a woman hawker who has been here for the last 30years.

Another hawker added, "Why are they asking us to move out when the BMC and police has given us permission? We are not doing business, within the temple."

Trustee Satish Padawe, when contacted, said, "We have heard about the allegations of corruption levied against the trust members. These should be investigated first and if proved true, only then should they demand the removal of trustees."

As for the allegations about harassing the hawkers he said, "Some of the hawkers squatting along the main road were cleared off recently. But that was done by the police for security reasons, after the temples came under heavy security. Our trust has nothing to do with it."
 


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