Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) president Thol. Thirumavalavan on Thursday requested the Tamil Nadu government to bring in changes to the law allowing non-brahmins as priests in all temples, including temples built as per the Agama shastras, and that non-brahmins who have undergone the formal training should be appointed as archakas in these temples.
Speaking at a seminar to discuss the recent Madras High Court judgment on the issue of appointment of priests to the Agamic temples, Mr. Thirumavalavan said the government had a lot to add to the laws on the issue.
Mr. Thirumavalavan said there was a need to take the issues, intricacies and the “conspiracies” in the Agama Shastra rules to people as they were not aware of them.
To a question whether the Tamil Nadu government did not take proper steps in the court, he said what the government did seemed like crossing a well halfway. “We need to cross the well fully,” he said. “The problem is not that the Brahmins are stopping us but that the courts are stopping us,” he said on the issue of appointment of non-Brahmin priests.
D. Hariparanthaman, former judge of the Madras High Court, said the ruling was against the Seshammal judgment and the 2002 judgment in the Adithyan case. “What the court is saying is that the HR & CE regulations will not apply to one set of temples. It is against the Constitution and the Seshammal and Adithyan judgments. All the DMK government needs to do is to bring back the same 2006 ordinance brought in by the then Chief Minister, M. Karunanidhi. It will then go to the Governor, who is propagating the Sanatana Dharma in public forums. Bring in the ordinance. We will then fight with the Governor. We are ready for a fight,” he said.
