No serving priests from temples removed for fresh appointments, says CM Stalin

None of the serving temple priests were eased out of their jobs to accommodate fresh appointees belonging to all castes, said Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin in the Assembly on August 17. Stalin also warned that if anything contrary to this was demonstrated with proof, appropriate action would be taken. The Chief Minister's remark was followed by Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Minister PK Sekar Babu's assertion that no Brahmin priest was targeted and there has been no violation in the appointment of people of all castes as priests in temples under his department.

Implementing the legal initiative of former Chief Minister ‘Kalaignar’ M Karunanidhi who wanted to remove the "thorn in the heart of Thanthai Periyar," Stalin said appointment orders were given to aspirants who were trained to officiate as priests in temples. However, some could not tolerate the move and they used social media to attempt to wreck the initiative, the Chief Minister said. Kalaignar is a reference to late Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, and reformist leader EV Ramasamy is known as Thanthai Periyar. The "thorn in the heart" is a phrase used by DMK to refer to Periyar's dream to ensure equal opportunities to all believers in Hindu religion, irrespective of their caste, to perform pujas in temples.

The Chief Minister said no priest was relieved from their jobs to accommodate any of the new appointees. If it was brought to the government's notice with proof that the contrary had happened anywhere, "there need not be any doubt that this government will take appropriate action," he told the Assembly.

People are well aware that some worked against the move, either based on political considerations or to spoil this initiative which is aimed at bringing social justice, Stalin said. HR&CE Minister PK Sekar Babu denied that Brahmin priests, especially Archakars and Bhattacharyas, were selectively targeted while making the appointment of the fresh batch of archakas.

"All the 58 persons who were appointed as archakas are duly qualified and there is no violation of the constitution as being alleged by a section of the priests," the minister told reporters.

Reacting to a charge by a section of existing Brahmin priests that their services were abruptly terminated and new archakas were appointed in their place on Monday, Minister Babu claimed "some Hindutva forces who don't want others to come up (in life) have taken up a mischievous campaign." Those who have been trained in Agama Shastras (rules on worship and related aspects) and below 35 years alone were appointed as archakas, the minister added.

The move follows the decision of late Chief Minister Karunanidhi who wanted people of all castes to become temple priests, he added.

"Kalaignar ensured an amendment to the HR & CE Act (in 1971) abolishing the customary practice of hereditary appointment of priests for temples,” Babu said.

He further said that if striving for the uplift of the oppressed sections is a mistake, "then Chief Minister MK Stalin (Karunanidhi's son) will repeat the same mistake."

Implementing its electoral promise of appointing aspirants belonging to all castes as temple priests, the DMK government had on August 14 appointed trained 'archakas' of various communities as priests in shrines. The appointments include 24 aspirants who had formally completed training in a state-run centre for becoming priests in Hindu temples, 34 others who completed 'archaka' training in other 'patashalas.'