Archakas urged to call off stir

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, NOV. 27. The Endowments Minister, Mr D. Sivarama Raju, has said that there is ``no point in archakas still continuing their agitation with the closure of temples on Karthika Purnima day'' on November 30 after regular pujas, when their demands have already been met by the Government.

Referring to the retirement age, a major demand, Mr Raju said here on Tuesday that an order had just been issued clarifying the Government stand on this issue. The order fixed December 8, 2000, as the cutoff date for implementing the retirement age at 58 years. Those archakas who were appointed before this date, would enjoy the retirement at 65 years and those appointed after this date, 58 years. One condition prescribed by the order was that the 58-year age would be implemented only if the recruited candidates were given pay scales as in the case of Government staff.

The Minister hoped that more and more people from all classes and castes would come forward to take up archaka jobs as, the Government had announced ``attractive scales'' for them. If there was good response, the Government would convert a few choultries attached to temples into ``Veda patasalas'' for conducting pourohityam courses as was being done at such patasalas functioning at about 10 centres in the State, including Tirumala, Dwaraka Tirumala, Keesara.

Mr Raju said he would invite Prof M. V. Soundara Rajan, vice- president, Andhra Pradesh Archaka Samakhya, for threadbare discussions on the latter's proposal to even to train Dalits as pujaris.

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Section  : Southern States
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