Recent calls to end government control of Hindu temples in India have intensified, sparked by controversy over the management of the Tirupati temple. The history of government involvement dates back to British colonial rule when laws were enacted to oversee temple administration for financial gain. The Religious Endowments Act of 1863 attempted to reduce British control, but subsequent laws allowed the government to retain influence. The Madras Hindu Religious Endowments Act of 1925 further empowered government-appointed boards to oversee and even take over temple management in certain cases.
In recent weeks, there has been growing momentum behind calls to end government involvement in the administration and control of Hindu temples in India. This controversy was sparked by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu’s allegations that the prasad served at the Tirupati temple contained animal fat, raising questions about the temple’s management and the role of the previous YSRCP government under CM Jagan Mohan Reddy.
When the British colonized India, they recognized the potential for vast wealth and governmental oversight in temple administration. Between 1810 and 1817, they enacted laws in Bengal, Madras, and Bombay that allowed them to interfere in temple affairs. However, opposition within the British establishment, concerned about a Christian government managing Hindu temples, led to the passage of the Religious Endowments Act of 1863, transferring control of temples to committees appointed under the Act.
Despite this, judicial jurisdiction over temple administration remained strong, with laws like the Civil Procedure Code, the Official Trustees Act, and the Charitable and Religious Trusts Act of 1920 allowing the government to retain significant influence. According to a paper by Prof G Ramesh of the Centre of Public Policy at IIM Bangalore, the first specific law targeting Hindu temples was the Madras Hindu Religious Endowments Act of 1925. This legislation, along with subsequent amendments, gave oversight of temple management to a board of commissioners with extensive powers, including the ability to completely take over the management of certain temples.