Appoint Dalit as chairman of TTD: Chilkur Balaji head priest

Hyderabad : Temples Protection Movement Convenor and Hereditary Archaka cum Trustee of Chilkur Balaji Temple S Rangarajan on Saturday requested the Andhra Pradesh government to scrap the newly appointed specified authority and instead constitute a full-fledged trust board with a dalit as the chairman.

Rangarajan said that if a dalit is appointed as the chairman, it would definitely send positive signals to the marginalised sections who were feeling excluded in the temple system.

The chairman performs the role of Yajaman who is the Kartha of the temple rituals and holds higher clout than the Archakas or Jeeyangars. This action of the Chief Minister is required to set aside the apprehensions of crores of devotees of Balaji who feel that the specified authority may toe the line of the government to divert the funds of TTD for adjusting the fiscal deficit.

Rangarajan said that they had nothing against the officers who are individually capable of administration, but a full-fledged trust board would have sufficient checks and balances in case of any such eventuality.

"The specified authority is constituted only in extraordinary circumstances and we as devotees feel that there is no such situation at present." Rangarajan said.