If the Lord could speak.....

In the midst of all the politicking about black, white and grey monies, comes bolt out of the blue. A relatively unheard of temple in Kerala is coughing up $20 billion in gold coins and ornaments. The valuation does not include the antique pricing which might go upto 4 times this value. All of sudden, Sree Ananthapadhbanabha Swamy temple is the richest in India (maybe in the entire world). This had brought a sharp focus on the ways in which we donate to our temples and the way these funds are utilized.



I am taking into account the fact that any money saved by me for a rainy day comes under the wide ambit of tax laws. If I pledge that I have stashed away the funds for investment under various sections of tax laws that govern our country, I am allowed only after providing the tax authority of ample proof that I am indeed complying to my pledge. Even then, the proceeds of my investment (interest earned / capital gains ) are taxed as they are "income" generated from my funds. In short, if we are honest in declaring what we own, we end up paying more rather than being incentivised for honest compliance. In this context, if I choose not to earn any money; instead I invest in building say a temple / church / masjid / gurudwara etc. or become a patron of one, I have access to unending wealth and no tax :) A win - win situation to be in. I would like to state at the very beginning that I have high respect for the priests / pastors /maulavis / granthi who have make a meagre living in some place of worship in a remote area, I have a bone to pick with the very famous temples and other places of worship which are tourist attractions and have yearly turnovers which could shame many business houses around the world. I feel they live a life of plenty where they are expected to use the proceeds for charitable causes.



Add to this the presence of godmen in our country is more a bane than a boon. Anyone who is anyone makes a business of "belief in the Almighty" and mints money. Worse, they earn always in cash and its next to impossible to audit the proceeds that they generate. Refer to the Ramdev saga where an almost good for nothing person is making billions selling dreams to millions of people. Today this guy has the balls to give sermons to all of us on black money without considering the sham of yoga and ayurvedic medicine, under which he mints billions every year. Consider the press stories (which are being hushed up) of crores of rupees and almost 100 kg gold recovered from the chambers of the late Baba of Puttaparthi. In the case of baba, to be fair to him, he had built many hospitals and educational institutions in which education and health care was provided at low cost for everyone (irrespective of religion). So in a way, what he earned by being a Godman, he returned to society in his own ways. I only question the extent of mismanagement of funds now that he is no more. Is it fair to allow these men run amuck with looting the money people donated for charity and not even paying taxes on them. Why should certain good for nothing people become rich from the proceeds of charity and the poor man is still on the streets starving due to lack of food and dying because of lack of shelter and access to health care. How different are these godmen and religious trusts different from the politicians who loot the taxes that we contribute towards the expenses to be made for us.



Why should not there be an audit of funds by private firms ordered by the Government on the utilization of funds for the purpose of charity by these religious trusts Why should we let them have a free hand "in the name of God" so that they continue making money in his name and add on the black money generated in India. If the Lord Almighty could speak, am sure he would say "take care of my people and don't let any person die because of lack of means.. rather than build grand places of worship in gold and precious stones in my name" . I am sure honoring the life that he created would be better than studding his image with precious ornaments. In the end, bringing a smile on the faces of the have-nots should be termed higher than donating to these godmen because you maybe feeding a system that creates huge amount of black money. In the end...... the Travencore King can't wash his hands off the trust he heads by saying "It is God's money", as chief patrons its also his job to see that its being used for God's work.



So long.....