Temple priests in Karnataka demand CM Siddaramaiah to enhance retirement age beyond 60

A delegation of the Federation of Temple Priests (Archakara Okkuta) met Chief Minister Siddaramaiah at his Kumara Krupa residence and demanded that the state government scrap the retirement age set at 60 for temple priests.

Prominent priests of various temples placed five demands before the CM and expressed confidence that the CM would step in to fulfill them.

One of the main demands is the retirement age set for priests at 60, and they asked for the norm to be abolished. The priests also demanded that CM Siddaramaiah increase his remuneration from the current Rs 60,000 per annum to Rs 72,000 per annum.

The government pays gratuity to more than 35,000 temple priests who come under the Muzrai department. The priests also asked the CM not to create trusts for "freeing temples" from government control.

“The previous government wanted to free temples by creating temple trusts. We have opposed this move and requested the CM to keep priests and temples under government control,” said priests federation secretary Dr. KSN Dikshit.

The delegation also demanded the appointment of staff to the Charities and Endowments Department, noting that no staff had been appointed in the last 20 years.

Former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai announced that the government would soon bring an amendment to "liberate temples" from government control. However, the previous government did not introduce such a bill due to various issues.