No auction of priests in Annavaram temple: Dy CM

KAKINADA: Deputy Chief Minister and endowment minister Kottu Satyanarayana has condemned the remarks of the Jana Sena chief on the recent reforms introduced in the famous Sri Veera Venkata Satyanarayana Murthy Temple at Annavaram of Kakinada district.

He made it clear that there had been no auctions of priests in the temple so far. Kottu Satyanarayana, along with BC welfare minister Ch. Srinivasa Venu Gopalakrishna, offered ‘Ashada Masam Saree’ to the famous Goddess Manikyamba at the Lord Bhimeswara Swamy Temple at Draksharama, one of the Pancharama Kshetras, on Saturday.

Later, the deputy CM and BC welfare minister told the media that many of the devotees perform marriages of their children atop Ratnagiri Hills. But mediators entered the scene and looted large sums of money from them, and it has become a burden to them, the deputy CM said.

He added that to eliminate such mediators, the executive officer of the temple convened a meeting with all sections of people, like music, decoration, and temple priests, and came to the conclusion that introducing a single window system would reduce the burden on marriage or other auspicious functions. He said that already some reforms had been brought into the temple, like improving the quality of ‘Prasadam’, providing facilities, allotting rooms, and others in a transparent manner.

He said that Pawan Kalyan didn't have any understanding of the system and levelled unnecessary charges against the government. He said that Pawan Kalyan had no right to speak about ‘Sanathana Dharma’ as he insulted his father. He said that temple authorities found a fake priest who wore a shrine thread on his neck, was performing a marriage, and was necked out of the temple.

The same fake priest called on Pawan Kalyan and requested to support mediators. He added that Pawan Kalyan spoke it. He said that with the script given by the Telugu Desam Chief N. Chandrababu Naidu, Pawan Kalyan spread the mud on the YSRC and Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy. But the people would not believe the speeches of either Chandrababu or Pawan Kalyan. He said that many of the leaders and cadres are leaving Jana Sena unable to understand Pawan Kalyan and his speeches.

Venu Gopalakrishna said that Jagan created infrastructure facilities and developed temples from all angles and also took the historic decision that there was no retirement age for temple priests.