Somehow this news item, which had been published in Mangalore Mithr and Canara Times on May 10, 2010 had escaped my notice. The following is a rewritten version.
On May 8, 2010, the current working committee of Mangalore Arya Samaj under the leadership of President M. Lokananda Devadiga called a press conference at the Mangalore Arya Samaj building on Arya Samaj Road, Balmatta and informed reporters that Shreemadjagadguru Shankaracharya Raghaveshwara Bharathi Swamiji has constructed Bharathi College on land that belongs to the Arya Samaj.
Honorary President Bhavani Shankar, President Lokananda, and Joint Secretary Dharmendra
Explaining the matter further, Lokananda said that the 3-acre plot of land, located at Nanthoor Padavu, where the Balakara Sevashrama is located, belongs to Arya Samaj. The Sevashrama is a sister organization of Arya Samaj, he said and added that the land has to be returned to the Arya Samaj in case of closure of the Ashram. Raghaveshwara Bharathi Swamiji had secured this land on lease for a period of 99 years and laid the foundation for a college in 2003, which is illegal. The then President of Arya Samaj, Shri Krishna Kamath, filed a case against the seer and the legal battle is still on, said Lokananda.
Accusing Home Minister V. S. Acharya and MLA Yogish Bhat of supporting the seer in spite of the fact that he has constructed a college building on Arya Samaj land and has inaugurated it last month in clear violation of the law, Mr. Lokananda further said that the seer has obtained the land on lease although there is no relationship between him and Arya Samaj. He has invested Rs. 80 lakh in the college and now intends to do business there, said Mr. Lokananda, accusing the seer of conspiring to grab the land illegally.
Mr. Lokananda also accused Krishna Kamath, the previous president of Arya Samaj, of illegally attempting to dissolve the current working committee of Mangalore Arya Samaj. Accusing MLA Yogish Bhat of being involved in pressurizing the authorities to issue orders for the dissolution of the committee, he suspects the involvement of several people who are against the activities of the Arya Samaj, whose teachings and philosophy go against the traditional principles and practices.
Regarding the dissolution of the committee, he said that Krishna Kamath, the president of Arya Samaj from 2003 – 2007, filed a petition with the district registrar stating that the present committee should be dissolved because he was still the president of the Arya Samaj. The district registrar did not consider the petition then. However, the district registrar issued a notice on April 21 declaring the new committee as an ad-hoc committee despite the fact that he checks accounts every year and that Arya Samaj has paid the taxes and submitted the audits in 2009. Lokananda accused the former president of forging the letter head and seal of the Arya Samaj for the purpose.
Chief Secretary Dharmendra and Honorary President K. Bhavani Shankar were also present during the press conference.
Sources:
2. Canara Times
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