The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday ordered issue of notice to the State government on a public interest litigation (PIL) petition seeking directions to the government to give monetary relief to archaks and temple servants working in nearly 35,000 category ‘C’ Muzrai temples controlled by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka and Justice K.N. Phaneendra passed the order on a petition filed by Shreehari Kutsa, an advocate, and K.S.N. Dikshit, an archak from Bengaluru.
The Bench orally observed that the government will have to consider giving some monetary relief to archaks and temple servants in the category ‘C’ temples as the temples are likely to remain closed for some more time due to lockdown.
No salary
The government can consider paying a one-time relief on the lines of relief paid to construction workers as they were not paid any monthly salary like priests and other temple servants in category A and B temples notified under provisions of the Karnataka Hindu Religions Endowments Act, the Bench observed orally.
Pointing out that the government pays only a paltry sum of ₹48,000 per annum to each of the category C temples to cover all expenses, including daily rituals, maintenance, salaries to archaks, servants, renovations, electricity bills, etc., the petitioners said archaks and temple servants in these temples are mainly depending on ‘dakshina’ by devotees. With the closure of temples due to lockdown, archaks and temple servants are facing severe hardship for their livelihood and to perform bare essential rituals in the temples.
The petitioners have also pointed out that there was no response to their representation, on the plight of archaks and temple servants due to lockdown, submitted to the Chief Minister on April 2. Hearing has been adjourned till May 27.
