Order on archakas: Hindu munnani welcomes decision

KANCHEEPURAM: The Hindu munnani’s Tamil Nadu unit has welcomed the state government’s decision to pass an order, allowing people belonging to all Hindu communities with the required training and qualification,to become priests in Hindu temples.

Munnani state organiser and founder Ramagoplan told reporters here that the cabinet should come forward to pay them salaries on par with class 4 staff in government service. The opinions of village priests, priests currently serving in temples and also devotees must be sought, he said.

On the appropriateness of the training to priests, he said the syllabus drawn up be designed and approved only by mutt heads and heads of religious orders. The state government and HR and CE Department should have no role in it, he said the appointment should be based solely on the merit of the certificate issued by the institution teaching the priests.

All such students should be taught the ‘agama sastras‘. On providing reservation to Muslims in Tamil Nadu, he said the courts in Andhra Pradesh and Pondicherry had already stayed similar moves.

This would badly affect SCs and STs. It is also wrong to bring about reservation on a community basis in military and police services, he said.