UP shrine says ‘no puja services if you feed strays’

BAREILLY: In a bizarre directive to curb stray dog menace, a temple committee in Uttar Pradesh's Budaun district on Friday put up a banner asking devotees not to feed stray dogs near the place of worship, or else priests will not provide any services.
The temple is located in Purana Bazaar locality of Budaun city. The banner hung outside the shrine's gate reads: "No service will be provided nor offerings will be accepted from people feeding stray dogs. Priests of the temple will not perform any ritual in the houses of such people. Dogs make the temple premises dirty, which can cause illness. Those who want to feed these animals can take them home."
The poster was removed on Sunday after the issue was raised by animal rights activist Vikendra Sharma through a social media campaign, following which the district administration ordered the police to intervene in the matter.
Where would strays go if all temples make similar rules, asks activist
The temple priest said that the director of the temple committee, who lives in Noida, ordered the banner to be put up. Vikendra Sharma told TOI, “This is an inhuman act. Where would the stray animals go if all temples come up with similar directives?
The temple committee consists of five brothers, and one of them is an animal lover who feeds stray dogs near the temple. Apparently, the banner was raised to target him.” Kotwali police station SHO Rajkumar Tiwari said, “We received a complaint against the priest for asking devotees not to feed the stray dogs, or else they will not be allowed into the temple.”He added, “A police team was sent to the temple and the banner was removed. We have warned the priest.”