JOIN USSC/ST priests may be appointed at Muzrai temples
The State government is considering appointing priests and priestesses from Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) at temples under the Muzrai department, Social Welfare Minister H Anjaneya said here on Tuesday.
He said the inspiration came from Congress leader B Janardhana Poojary’s efforts to have two female priests at the Kudroli Gokarnanatheshwara temple in Mangalore. According to Anjaneya, Dalit priests could be appointed at temples on a reservation basis.
Reservation basis
“I have sought the list of vacancies for priests in temples of the Muzrai department. We will try to bring members of SC, ST communities as priests in these temples. It will be proposed on a reservation basis,” the minister said but hastened to add that no decision had been taken as yet.
He said he would discuss with the commissioner of religious and charitable endowments whether there were provisions to make such appointments.
As per the Muzrai department guidelines, priests should be well-versed in Vedic chants and hymns. “We will train them in priesthood and help them assimilate into temples,” he said. He added that the department would make sure that reservations for SC, ST priests did not hurt the sentiments of people from other castes.
Temple ‘purified’
Anjaneya’s remarks have followed reports that a temple in Madhubani district of Bihar was washed and “purified” after Jitan Ram Manjhi, the state’s Dalit Chief Minister, visited it.
“I believe the Manjhi and Mangalore incidents warrant that we take certain steps to encourage more people from SC, ST communities to become priests,” the minister said.
But the minister clarified that the government would not force any person to become a priest, and that avenue would be open only to the desirous candidates.