Devaswom minister Kadakampally Surendran slams transfer of non-Brahmin priest

ALAPPUZHA: Devaswom minister Kadakampally Surendran on Saturday said the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) shelved the appointment of a non-Brahmin priest at Chettikulangara temple without consulting the government. He termed it as “outright absurdity.”  "Government is not responsible for TDB’s decision," the minister told DC.  "It is clearly against the government’s line. Irrespective of cast and customs, a qualified person should be appointed as the priest.” He said the government would seek an explanation on “context of issuing a new order.”

‘That young man (Sudhikumar) had come to see me at the office before new order was issued. I had heard him out and offered all support. The government still stands by him," he said. M. Liju, district Congress president, however, criticised the government for allowing TDB to pass the order. "It is extremely condemnable," he said. "The Congress Party will give a letter to TDB president in this regard the next day itself and will take to streets registering a strong protest. We want to know where this government is taking this state to?" he said.    

Meanwhile, Adv AN Rajan Babu, the SNDP Yogam advocate, said he challenged the new order as it was contempt of court.  "The order came at a time when various Supreme Court verdicts are there. So, we’ve decided to implead against the TDB order," he said. "If non-Brahmins are not qualified, why the TDB selected them to the same post?’ he asks. SNDP plans protests against the order next week. It was on Monday TDB issued the order directing the authorities to cancel the June 14 order transferring Sudhikumar, the priest at Puthiyidom temple, Kayamkulam, to Chettikulangara temple.

The order available with DC cites no reason. It came after the High Court judgement. The affidavit the convention had submitted to the HC had said that no person other than a Malayala Brahmin who underwent rituals up to ‘samvarthanam’ of ‘shodasa samskaram’ was exponent in the jeevitha dance and should not be appointed as keezsaanthi (assistant priest) of the Chettikulangara temple.