“They spewed venom on us when we had appointed Nepali priests. Now, they are doing the same,” complained Ganesh Adhikari, former PADT treasurer and now the joint-coordinator of the Maoists´ struggle committee. The erstwhile Maoist government had appointed two Nepali priests last year, but had to withdraw the decision following intense pressure from the opposition parties. The struggle committee has padlocked PADT office since the last four days.
The PADT management had earlier announced that two new priests would be appointed through free competition. However, it suddenly decided to recommend to the prime minister two Indian nationals for appointment two weeks ago. Earlier, it had formed a three-member committee led by chief priest Mahabaleshwar to select two priests from India. The committee had toured South India to pick the two candidates.
The recommendation has been forwarded to the cabinet. A source at the PADT said the cabinet meeting due on Thursday is to formally appoint the priests. The Maoists do not want Indian priests in the temple. But their demand to appoint Nepali priests contradicts the provision in the new regulations set by the then Maoist-led PADT management. The regulations do not stipulate nationality as the necessary qualification for appointment as the priest at the shrine.
The current PADT management has defended its move terming the appointment of priests as a compulsion. "We would have opted for free competition if the new regulations were not sub judice in the apex court. We are not in position to wait for the apex court´s verdict as absence of priests has caused problems conducting regular rituals,” said Narottam Baidya, treasurer of PADT. He also asserted that the new appointment would be in accordance with the Pashupati Area Development Trust Act 1987.
Treasurer Baidya said that the recommendation to appoint new priests has been dictated by need as the absence of priests would disrupt regular rituals at the shrine. He, however, said that the PADT would honor the apex court´s decision.
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