Kondagattu Temple EO Transferred Amid Controversies, Priests’ Protests
The BC organisations threatened to launch a state-wide agitation if Srikanth Rao is not removed as EO of the Kondagattu temple
KARIMNAGAR: Following weeks of unrest at the historic Sri Anjaneya Swamy Temple in Kondagattu in Jagtial district, Telangana government has transferred the shrine’s executive officer (EO) T. Srikanth Rao.
Principal secretary Shailaja Ramaiyer issued the order shifting Srikanth Rao from the Kondagattu temple as EO of the Sri Lakshmi Venkateshwara Swamy Temple in Manyamkonda of Mahabubnagar district.
Srikanth Rao will relieve G. Srinivasa Raju, who had been holding the additional charge of the Manyamkonda temple.
The tenure of Srikanth Rao at Kondagattu has been marked by a series of high-profile disputes, drawing the attention of both the district administration and political leaders. In the latest instance, several priests and temple staff staged a protest at the Kondagattu temple’s Rajagopuram, boycotting their duties.
The protest got triggered after EO Srikanth Rao issued memos to 12 priests and three staff members for conducting special prayers on the occasion of Andhra Pradesh minister Nara Lokesh’s birthday. The priests alleged that the EO used derogatory language and harassed them for not taking explicit permission before performing the special prayers.
Further, various BC organisations have accused the EO of displaying upper-caste arrogance and harassing the priests. The BC groups claim that Srikanth Rao had been interfering in the matters of traditional Agama rituals. His frequent threats of suspension had created an atmosphere of fear within the temple premises.
The BC organisations threatened to launch a state-wide agitation if Srikanth Rao is not removed as EO of the Kondagattu temple.
This prompted Jagtial district collector B. Satya Prasad to visit the temple office and record statements of the aggrieved staff. During the inquiry, the priests informed the collector that they have been unfairly targeted with constant threats ever since Srikanth Rao had taken charge.
Choppadandi MLA Medipalli Satyam too intervened and pacified the striking workers, promising a fair probe.
With pressure from community organisations mounting amid the MLA and collector’s intervention, the government has issued the GO immediately relocating Srikanth Rao as EO of the Sri Lakshmi Venkateshwara Swamy Temple in Manyamkonda of Mahabubnagar district.