NEW YORK, USA, July 28, 2001: The Hindu Temple Society of North America (HTSNA), which oversees the operations of the Ganesha temple in Bowne Street, Flushing, New York, has been issued a restraining order and a show-cause notice by the New York State Supreme Court, Queens County, with a hearing date set for August 15. The driving force behind the case are two men, Sambasiva Venigalla and Venkaiah Dama, who alleged that the Society has flouted State Laws pertaining to not-for-profit religious corporations. Along with a few other like-minded souls, they have formed the Committee for Securing Voting Rights. In the opinion of the dissenters, not only is the Board of Trustees run in violation of state laws, but that it is often a law unto itself. Dr Uma Mysorekar, President of the HTSNA, said “all the allegations are false and we completely deny them.” For now, both sides are awaiting the court’s decision. In his order dated June 28, court Judge Joseph G. Golia has restrained the Society, and its Board of Trustees, who are the respondents, from encumbering the assets of the temple unless authorized by the members; from entering into any contract for expansion or construction of facilities; from incurring any expenditure other than for daily religious activities; from destroying or transferring any business or financial records; and providing to the petitioners a complete list of all members enrolled since 1995, with duly completed membership application forms together with proof of payment of membership dues.
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