Hyderabad: Archakas and temple staff in several temples, under the banner of the TS Archaka Sangam, went on an indefinite strike across the state on Thursday demanding the government treat them at par with government employees and pay salaries besides other perks.
However, archakas and staff of some of the major temples like Sri Lakshmi Narasimhaswami temple at Yadagirigutta, Sri Raja Rajeswara Swami temple at Vemulawada, Sri Seetha
Rama temple at Bhadrachallam, Saraswathi Devi temple at Basar and some others did not participate in the strike, but extended support to striking colleagues.
There are 2,300 temples under the TS endowments department out of which the strike has paralysed functioning of about 2,000 temples, claimed Bhanumurthy, president of the TS Archaka Sangam. These temples have 3,500 archakas and 2,000 staff on the rolls.
“We performed morning pujas as usual and later struck work. We request devotees to extend support to the striking staff,” he said.
The Sangam also demanded that the government regularise services of contract employees and immediately release Rs 6,000 per temple which has no source of income under doop, deepa and naivedya scheme.
Telangana political Joint Action Committee chairman convener Kodandaram expressed solidarity with the striking employees. Devotees complained of hardships due to the strike.
