The Bombay High Court today refused to provide an interim stay on the transfer of funds from the Shree Siddhivinayak Ganapati Temple Trust (SSGTT) to the State Government for fighting COVID-19 and undertaking social schemes like Shiv Bhojan thali.
This comes after the decision to transfer funds from the temple trust was challenged by a public interest litigation (PIL), claiming that it was illegal. Interestingly, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) had also raised objections toward the transfer of temple funds to the State.
This is primarily because the Chairman of SSGTT, Aadesh Bandekar, also happens to be a Shiv Sena leader.
Also Read - Siddhivinayak Temple Will Be Donating Rs. 5 Crores For Shiv Bhojan
However, the Bombay High Court has now ruled in favour of the SSGTT and the State, allowing for the transfer of funds from one of the largest temple trusts to aid with the battle against COVID-19.
The Siddhivinayak Temple Trust had proposed a donation of ₹5 crores towards the subsidized Shiv Bhojan thali that is provided at ₹10 and an additional ₹5 crores to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund for disaster relief and other charitable causes. The Shiv Bhojan thali at ₹10 scheme was announced in January this year amidst great success.
The SSGTT announced last month that the temple will undergo a renovation with e-tenders being invited already. It was said that this iconic temple in Prabhadevi will undergo structural repairs.
This came after a structural audit revealed that there were cracks in the building. It’s uncertain at this point if the temple will allow devotees while the repairs are underway or if the premises will be closed for the public.
Also read - Shree Siddhivinayak Ganapati Temple Trust To Sponsor Education Of Martyred Sunil Kale's Children
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