Clash over caste: Travancore Devaswom Board wants government to act

ALAPPUZHA: The Travancore Devaswom Board  is waiting for Devaswom Commissioner C. P. Rama Raja Prema Prasad to implement the government order to appoint Mr Sudhikumar, non-Brahmin priest,  as Keezhsaanthi (assistant priest) of  the Chettikulangara temple. If he fails to act till Wednesday,  the TDB will  discuss the future course of action,” Mr Prayar Gopalakrishnan, TDB president, told DC. Devaswom secretary K.R. Jyothilal had served the order to Mr Prema Prasad to transfer Mr Sudhikumar to the temple on Friday.  It may be recalled that the commissioner had earlier stalled the transfer due to protest by the Hindu Matha convention.   

Mr  Gopalakrishnan said that the government had served the order to the devaswom commissioner and not to the board.  “So it’s the duty of  the commissioner to implement it,” he added.   Law secretary B.G. Hareendranath had opined that the commissioner had violated the Supreme Court verdicts and constitutional values.   The commissioner was not available for comments.    TDB member Ajay Tharayil had also triggered  a debate by calling for the entry of non-Hindus to temples the other day.   He  said that  Mr  Sudhikumar should submit a fresh appeal to  the commissioner and the board president  expressing his willingness to become Keezhsaanthi at the temple.

When told that   Mr Sudhikumar had  met Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran and submitted a plea on the same lines,  Mr Tharayil said,  “the board will  not admit the plea even if he submits it to the Indian President  ignoring the board.”     Mr M. Liju, DCC president, Alappuzha, said that he had discussed the matter with the TDB members on Sunday.  They had told him that Mr Sudhikumar must submit a plea before the board. “I will talk to Sudhikumar on the  matter. If the TDB doesn’t abide by the government order,  we will think about further course of action,” he said.