Fwd: Chicago Protest with great success

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: May 9, 2007 5:26 PM
Subject: Chicago Protest with great success
To: sevamkuru2@gmail.com


*Please FORWARD it all our friends concerned about Hindu Temples *

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (visit www.savetemples.org , then select
"Chicago-press releases for the original copies)

Prakasa Rao Velagapudi, President
Save Temples/Global Hindu Heritage Foundation
548 SilverStone Dr
Madison, MS 39110
Phone: 601-856-4783
http://www.savetemples.org
savetemples@gmail.com

*A massive awareness campaign by over 400 people was held to protect
Hindu Temples in India.*

Rosemont, IL- May 6, 2007 – A massive protest campaign organized by
Save Temples forum was attended by about 500 Concerned people during
the visit of Mr. Y S Rajasekhar Reddy, Chief Minister of the South
Indian State of Andhra Pradesh. Mr. Reddy was at the Donald Stephens
Convention Center to attend a Reception hosted by organizations TANA
and ATA. People including many doctors, IT professionals, businessmen
were protesting the policies of Mr. Reddy's Government which have been
highly detrimental to the Hindu institutions including temples.

The protest was held from 3:00 PM till 6:30 PM which included men, women and
children of different nationalities from all around the country. Most
of the concerned participants attended in response to the fliers and
advertisements placed in various temples and various Indo-American
newspapers. Many participants responded to the continuous bad news
such as temple land scams, cancellation of Sri Rama Navami as Hindu
Holiday and miuse of temple funds., Frustrated youth spontaneously
arrange the protest and it was so overwhelming that it was beyond
their expectations. Members of several organizations such as ISKCON,
Christians against proselytism, Indian American intellectual forum,
Vishwa Hindu Parishad also joined the protest.

One of the protesters, Mr. Durga Prasad from Arizona, was on Fast
without taking even water starting on Friday night till the protest
was concluded. He provided tremendous inspiration to the fellow
protesters.

The protesters demanded repealing the Hindu Endowments Act, religious
freedom for Hindus in practicing Hindu religion and management of
Hindu institutions. The participants raised slogans such as 'Repeal
Hindu Endowments Act', 'Hands off..... temples', '1-2-3.... keep
temples free', *Eadukondalavada Venkataramana Govinda Govinda* etc.
and sang devotional hymns.

*Representatives Meet the Chief Minister *
V. V. Prakasa Rao and Prasad Yalamanchi have been in constant contact with
Dr. Gavva Chandra Reddy, the president of ATA and Dr. Bandla Hanumaiah, the
president of TANA. They have been very cooperative with our request to meet
the Chief Minister and also expressed their concern for the welfare of the
Temples. At the request of Dr. Gavvaa, V. V. Prakasa Rao and Prasad
Yelamanchi met with Hon. Chief Minister, Dr. Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy in
Hyatt Hotel in Chicago. They expressed concerns of all Hindus regarding the
plight of the temples in Andhra Pradesh by saying that thousands of acres of
Temple lands have been sold, Temples' revenues have been diverted to
non-Hindu causes, numerous Temples have been demolished and hundreds of
Temple lands have been allowed to be encroached. They mentioned that the
Endowment Act should be repealed. Mr. Reddy mentioned about the recent
amendment to the Endowment Act giving autonomy to about 30,000 temples with
less than Rs 50,000 annual income and giving Rs 2500 for these Temples to
support Dhup Deepa Naivedyam program; release of Shirdi Sai Baba temples to
independent management trustees; and legislation to ban missionary
activities near major temples. When the representatives mentioned that
although the Hindu community was happy to read the news about these
developments, they again requested the repeal of the Endowment Act. They
mentioned that Hindu Temples should enjoy the same freedom and independence
as other two major religions. Then they submitted a "Memorandum of Concerns
to Hon. Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, Chief Minister, Andhra Pradesh" Mr. Reddy
scanned through the memorandum, smiled and said, "Anything is possible," and
that he would consider the demands.

*Plan to disrupt the Peaceful Protest was foiled in Chicago*

On May 6, 2007 nearly 500 people were peacefully protesting in Chicago
expressing their concern for the plight of Hindu Temples in Andhra Pradesh
during Honorable Chief Minister's visit to USA. A group of five people came
into the middle of demonstration and started asking why we were doing the
protest. One of the Protesters gave the booklet containing the information.
Protesters took the booklets when they did not want. Then one gentleman,
later identified as Dr. Jayachand Pallekonda went behind Mr Praveen Gandhi
and started choking his throat with his fingers. Mr Gandhi was not even able
to shout as his throat was being pressed very hard. Nearby police saw the
incident immediately, rushed behind Dr Pallekonda pulled his hands off Mr
Gandhi and handcuffed him. Then took away from the Protest area and filed a
case. Hearing is set for May 23, 2007 in Rosemont, Il. Mr. Gandhi was taken
to the emergency hospital the next day due to the swollen glands. Dr.
Pallekonda is seen on the left side of the picture with black outfit. Dr.
Jayachand Pallekonda is President of Federation of Indian American Christian
Organization of North America, Washington, DC. His website link:

http://www.zoominfo.com/search/PersonDetail.aspx?PersonID=50212444
<http://www.zoominfo.com/search/PersonDetail.aspx?PersonID=50212444+ >
Please follow this link to see the attacker:
http://specials.rediff.com/news/2007/may/07sli1.htm

After the protest, many participants gathered in a conference hall at a
nearby Hotel to share their experiences and plan future action. The speakers
congratulated the participants and urged everyone to carry on the fight for
Hindu Civil Rights.

For information: http://savetemples.org

*Memorandum of Concerns submitted to *

*Hon. Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, Chief Minister, Andhra Pradesh*
Hon. Y S Rajesekhara Reddy
The Chief Minister
Government of Andhra Pradesh
Hyderabad, India

Hon. Y S Rajasekhara Reddy garu:

We the signatories of this memorandum, would like to request you and your
Government to treat Hindu religion, Hindu Culture, Hindu Heritage and Hindu
way of life with freedom from government control and interference. You are
aware that you do not interfere with Muslim religion activities or trying to
take control of their properties and similarly with others.

Over the centuries, Hindu Temple builders donated large sums of money,
jewelry, thousands of acres of land and movable properties to their Temples,
so that the Temples have sufficient resources to provide "dhupa, deepa and
naivedyam" to the presiding deities and provide required worship services to
the devotees. Day to day, devotees have been contributing donations and
gifts for the utilization of Temple services and devotees needs. Hindu
Temple lands, monies and movable properties, thus belong to the Temples
which are required to be managed by Hindus / Trusts.

Even in the dreams, the donors did not vision and do not vision, that their
sacrifices and generosity will be abused, misused, and usurped by the
Government with the passage of Hindu religious and Charitable Endowment Act
in 1987. Since the passage, thousands of acres of Temple lands have been
sold, crores of Hindu Temple monies has been used for non-Hindu Temple and
non-Hindu activities. Large number of Temples have been neglected from being
renovated. Large percentage of Temple earnings have been forced to be
donated to the state treasury. Thousands of Hindu Temple lands were allowed
to be encroached upon, although 77,000 endowment officials are employed to
protect them. Many archakas were not paid their salaries or have been
underpaid.


1. We request you and your Govt. to be fair, impartial, reasonable and
sensitive to the needs of Hindu Culture, Hindu Heritage and Hindu in
particular to the Hindu Temples. The wishes and desires of the Hindus in
protecting the Hindu Temples should be respected, similar to that of
Christians and Moslems. We are not asking any special favors from the
government. We are requesting your office earnestly, not to discriminate
against Hindus and Hindu Temples. We request you, to protect the Hindu
institutions with the same zeal and passion, which you have been showing for
other major religions.

We the people of Indian origin, especially those hailing from Andhra
Pradesh, are delighted that you are with us in the US associating yourself
with an important event of the Telugu -speaking people residents in the USA.
All of us are wishing that every government in the Union of India works for
the rapid economic, cultural and spiritual development of the country so
that in the comity of nations, Bharat occupies a place that reflects its
civilization, its culture, greater heritage and its prosperity in the past.
India has a great record of striving to bring harmony and peace among
different nations of the world.

2. To succeed to be a great, prosperous, powerful, intellectual and
spiritual power, it is essential that within the country there is perfect
understanding and amity between people speaking different languages,
following different faiths and beliefs. All of our people must have sense of
one nation-hood and a common purpose and a common goal. We are sure that
your government is working towards this objective.

3. We, however, have been hearing from news-paper reports and in the
electronic and print media that different treatments are meted out by the
avowedly secular governments to people of different faiths, especially it
appears that Hindu places of worship are targeted. India's culture,
civilization and literature and way of life had, for millennia, revolved
around its places of worship, the various temples, Mutts and Ashramas.

4. We notice that while the secular governments are scrupulously keeping off
from the affairs regarding the maintenance and management of places of
worship of Christians and Muslims, Parsis and others; in certain states,
notably in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and recently in
Maharashtra the state governments are managing the places of worship
belonging only to Hindus through the governments' Hindu Religious Endowment
Boards and Revenue Departments. We know that this originated from the Acts
of British government in the 1930s. Such Acts have been, it appears, passed
down to the successor governments like that in Andhra Pradesh. We believe
that the so called secular government managing the finances, places of
worship, the properties and their revenues of the Hindu places of worship
alone is not a secular function. In fact it constitutes an adverse action
and absolute discrimination against Hindus compared to the others like
Muslims or Christians. Such a policy is un-constitutional.

5. What we are particularly concerned is what we hear and read about the
properties of the temples, agricultural as well as urban being encroached
upon, alienated in favor of institutions of other religions as well as
government for distribution to all sorts of people for a variety of
purposes. This act of alienation of the properties of the places of worship
of Hindus, while not similarly treating the properties of places of worships
of other religions, is a gross discrimination in regard to Hindus. We
believe that it is due to mismanagement on the part of certain government
quarters. We urge that your government should put an end to this adverse
discrimination.

6. We are in possession of long lists of the properties of different temples
encroached upon or alienated or in some manner not yielding any revenue to
the temples. We suggest that informed people in your State to supply those
lists to you and unto your government for immediate action.

7. We welcome your Government's recent Bill to amend the Hindu Religious
Endowments and Charities Act (1930, 1987). We understand, from news papers
that this Bill was to be passed in the session of the Assembly ending on 9th
April 2007. But, unexpectedly, this was decided to be referred to a Select
Committee. It is regrettably learnt that no Select Committee has been
constituted before the Assembly was prorogued.

8. We have gone through the gazette notification of the Bill to amend the
Endowments Act, and also read the contents. Though we are not in a position
to completely scrutinize and comprehensively comment on them, we have
received some comments from other concerned people. One such comment is
attached to this Memorandum.

9. Generally the amendment suggested in the Bill would mitigate some if not
all the omissions and commissions in the government's management of the
places of worship of Hindus. There appears to be a sinister motive behind
the postponement of the passage of the Bill. The Bill has for example a very
salutary provision, which prohibits the alienation of Temple lands in both
Urban and Rural areas. Some people seem to be having their eyes on the urban
properties so that these could be acquired by government and distributed as
sites for housing or for other purposes. This is highly reprehensible and un
acceptable.

10. As the passage of the Bill might take quite some time, we urge that an
Ordinance be passed in this regard. It should be done because the
Legislature is not in session. When the Legislature meets, the Select
Committee to be constituted can do its action and the Ordinance be replaced
by a properly and duly passed Bill.

11. One thing of utmost concern to every right –thinking and true Indian is
the aggressive propagation of a non-Hindu Christian faith, in and around
Hindu places of worship. We also refer to hospitals where Nurses belonging
to Christian faith are having a free run in brain -washing Hindu patients to
change their faith with the promise that if they do so, Jesus Christ will
heal them. We urge that this type of practice on the part of a section of
Nurses in government hospitals should be made a criminal offence and must be
stopped immediately.

12. Another urgent matter of concern is the diversion of funds of the
temples especially, of the quite rich and famous Tirumala Thirupathi
Devastanam for purposes not connected with Hindu dharma such as Jala Yagnam,
sports events and various Government schemes. We hope that this news was
untrue but we request you to kindly ensure that your government does not
spend any money from the tax revenues in favor of some religion(s) and not
others.

13. We also learn from news paper reports that assured the Christian clergy
in your State that just as the Hajj pilgrimage of Muslims is being
subsidized by the Central government, your government would subsidize the
pilgrimage of Christians of your state to Bethlehem / Jerusalem. This is a
singularly un secular act and discriminatory to Hindus. We hope that the
news is wrong but would like you to affirm that the news is wrong and that
the Government of Andhra Pradesh would not spend either the tax monies or
the monies of Hindu temples for the benefit of people of other faiths like
Christianity and Islam.

14. The Seven Hills, famously known through centuries as Saptagiri belong to
Lord Balaji /Venkateshwara by government notifications in the past,
documented in government records and in the belief, trust and conviction of
hundreds of millions of Hindus through- out India and abroad, belong to Lord
Balaji. In your own State, very common name of people is Edukondal Rao/
Kondal Rao, testifying to the popularly accepted ownership of the seven
Hills by Balaji. Just as in the Vatican (Rome), where no other faith is
allowed to be propagated and no other places of are worship are allowed to
be built, government should ensure that there is no propaganda or
propagation and much less conversion activities in the area of the Seven
Hills. This also applies to the other famous temples of Andhra Pradesh. To
cite a few - Narisimha Swami in Simhachalam, Rama & Sita in Bhadrachalam,
Kanakadurga in Vijayawada, Bhimeswram in Vemulavada, Satyanarayanswami in
Annavaram, Shiva in Kalahasti & Srisailam, Nrusimha in Mangalagiri and so
on. The sanctity of all these places as well the properties of these temples
must be secured against alienation and those which are already encroached
upon or illegally taken possession must be restored to the temples.

15. Finally, we would submit that it is a significant responsibility on you
because you are not only the Chief Minister but a very active Christian
Chief Minister and the party you belong is led by Madame Sonia Gandhi who is
a practicing Catholic Christian. The wise say that Caesar's wife must be
above suspicion. Therefore, there is onerous responsibility on you as an
active Christian under the patronage of a very Christian leader of the UPA
and the Congress Party that you do not do anything which adversely daringly
affects Hindus, and their places of worship . We are sure that you would
like to be successful CM and that the monies raised through taxes and
barrowings by the government are not in any way utilized/spent for
promotion, protection and propagation of Christianity. Please note that your
largest constituents are Hindus.

16. There are reports about the Padmavathi Mahila University in Tirupathi
largely funded by the TTD is facilitating the conversion of students to
Christianity, the fact which was confirmed by state CID report. The Vice
Chancellor (VC) of this University is a practicing Christian lady. She is
reported to have removed the pictures of Hindu gods and goddesses and has
been encouraging the display of Biblical sayings and quotes in various
places in the university. Some of the Christian lecturers and staff
prevailed upon students to change faith and such converts are reported to
have been traumatized. The suicide of a girl, Umamaheswari who converted to
Christianity but whose conversion was resented and denounced by her parents
and relatives, is a telling point in this regard. Those responsible for
Uma's death should be brought to justice.

It would be appropriate, if such over zealous evangelicals as the current VC
of Sri Padmavathi University are not posted as VCs in any university,
especially in the TTD inspired and funded educational institutions.

17. Hundreds of groups of missionaries/canvassers of Christian religion and
those converted to that religion are reported to be engaged in the
distribution of literatures derogatory to Hinduism. Huge sums of funds seem
to be coming to them. While the Hindu temples are languishing, hundreds of
new churches are coming up even in purely Hindu localities. The springing up
of disproportionate number of non-Hindu institutions in predominately Hindu
localities is not acceptable. The militant and continuous propaganda over
loud speakers and other means used by the proselytizers and seekers of
converts to Christianity could lead civil strife in the community and would
ultimately lead to communal clashes. Hindus will protect their people from
the being converted and insults to their religion will be countered.

We request that the source of funding for the various missionary activities
should be investigated and any activity which is conducted as a mission, to
market any religion is unethical, non-spiritual and destructive of the local
cultures be prohibited. While one can appreciate a person discarding the
religion in which he was born and embracing another after study of both;
conversion of the poor, illiterate ill –informed, indigent people by
organized groups is certainly unethical and fraudulent. Therefore, there is
need for prohibiting systematic conversion activities by organized
religions.

18. There is also another fraud. While thousands of churches are coming up,
Christian organizations and their leaders such as KP Yohannan and Indian
Missions association are asserting that their population in AP is more than
10%, the successive censes have been showing Christian population as
declining. This fact is confirmed by World Christian Database. Please see
the table below:

*Christian Population in Andhra Pradesh*
*Christian Population in Andhra Pradesh*
*Year*
*1971*
*1981*
*1991*
*2001*
*Total population  mln*
*43.5*
*53.6*
*66.5*
*76.2*
*Christians  mln *
*1.8*
*1.43*
*1.2*
*1.1*
*% of Christian population *
*4.19*
*2.68*
*1.83*
*1.44*


19. It appears that converted dalits are advised not to disclose and
provide for any government record, the fact of their conversion/true
religion so that they continue to avail of the reservations meant for SC
among Hindus. Obviously, converts who became such because of the promise of
non-existence of dalitism and cases in Christianity (as propagated by the
missionaries) are misled by the converters and are led to be untrue to
themselves, first by not declaring the fact of conversion and second to be
deceitful by appropriating for themselves the privilege of reservation meant
for SCs among Hindus. It is said that 80% of the SCs working in government
are in fact, practicing Christians having suppressed the fact of their
conversion and true religion for the government records. There must be an
inquiry in to this racket.

20. We request you again, to introduce a bill to REPEAL of the Hindu
religious and Charitable Act in the legislature at the earliest possible
date. It will be a good decision to correct the grave injustice that the
Hindus are subjected to for many decades. We strongly believe that you have
enough support and strength, to achieve this important task. Authorize all
the Peethadhipathis with full responsibilities in Andhra Pradesh to
administer the Hindu temples and their resources.

You will be remembered for repealing the Endowment Act and will be a part of
Andhra Pradesh History.

*Summary: *
-
With immediate effect ban sale, transfer and gifting of temple
property
-
With immediate effect start recovering temple lands sold illegally

· Promulgate an ordinance to effectualise the Bill (Introduced in the
Legislative Assembly's Session ended on 9.4.2007 but not passed) to amend
Hindu religious Endowments & Charitable Institutions Act.

· Preserve and secure the ownership of all the Seven Hills area for Balaji
/Venkateshwara in Tirumala Tirupathi.

· Stop all propagation & conversion activities in and around Hindu places of
worship and pilgrimages and in Government Hospitals (by Christian Nurses).

· Allow no monies and properties of Hindu temples to be funneled for the
benefit of Churches, Mosques and religious institutions of non-Hindus.

· Investigate into the source of funds accumulated for building hundreds of
Churches even as the Christian population is decreasing in Andhra Pradesh as
per successive Census reports.

· Bring to justice the perpetrators of Uma Maheshwari's death.

· Put an end to limitlessness of minority professional colleges ( BE, MBBS,
MBA, MCA, B.Ed; Dental; Pharma) and the sale of their seats to Hindus – all
seats in minority colleges should be filled up only by students of minority
community
· Inquire into the mis-appropriation of reserved positions for SCs in
Government by Crypto-Christians.

· Ensure that all functionaries - Commissioners, Executive Officers,
officials and Trustees - of Hindu Temples and associated institutions
including those related to education, are believing and practicing Hindus,
affirmed by oath, that they are practicing Hindus.

· Launch vigorous steps to recover encroachments and appropriations of
properties of Hindu temples and have them secured.

We would appreciate your response at your earliest convenience.

Thank you,

Global Hindu Heritage Foundation


V. V. Prakasa Rao (601-918-7111)\
Prasad Yalamanchi (630-832-2665)
Satya D (732-403-7460)

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