Odisha: Priests plan protests against temple closure
BHUBANESWAR: Priests and servitors of the state on Monday urged the government to allow reopening of temples at the earliest. They also said they would stage a protest by blowing conch shells and ringing bells in front of temples for 10 minutes every day at 9 am from Wednesday.
“When temples and places of worship across India have reopened, we don’t know why the Odisha government is not allowing religious institutes here to do likewise. We will also follow guidelines, wear masks and maintain distance. In smaller temples, one person at a time will be allowed in,” said Jyoti Shankar Khuntia, secretary of Odisha Mandira Sevayat Sangha, an association of priests.
The priests said thousands of them depended on temples for their earnings. Due to their closure, they have been living under serious financial constraints. They are also not covered under any beneficiary scheme of the government.
“We are in a very bad condition due to poverty and lack of income. Many of us are dying due to lack of resources to buy medicine, let alone getting food for the family. The government gave Covid allowance to sevayats of Jagannath Temple in Puri but there are hundreds of other priests whose families have been living in penury,” said Jameswar Tripathy, president of the association.
In Unlock 5.0, the state government extended the closure of religious places till October 31. A number of PILs have been filed in the Orissa HC seeking reopening of temple and other religious institutes. The HC has left the decision to the state government. With a large number of priests and servitors in the Jagannath Temple infected with Covid, the government is not keen to reopen places of worship soon.
“There is resentment among devotees too over closure of temples and religious institutes. At the time of the pandemic visiting temples would have given us mental support and improved our confidence. But the government has its own logic,” rued Bhagaban Acharya, a septuagenarian.