Ruckus Over Shifting of Temple Obstructing NH in Anantapur
Police have posted a picket at the site
ANANTAPUR: Shifting of Goddess Mysore Sarojamma Temple on the Anantapur-Chitradurg national highway on outskirts of Anantapur led to turmoil when a group of people, including the transgender, reinstalled the idol at the same location after it had earlier been shifted to the nearby Kakkalapalli village.
Following a complaint by the tahsildar, Anantapur Rural police have registered cases against nine persons, including temple priest and the transgender for obstructing officials from performing their duties.
According to information, the Sarojamma Temple came up while the national highway authorities had been building the road between Anantapur and Chitradurg. Despite complaints against the temple, it remained on the road due to objections allegedly by devotees.
A group of locals then approached the High Court which, three months ago, directed revenue authorities to allot an alternate site and relocate the temple. Authorities issued GO 571 alienating the land at Kakkalapalli village to shift the temple. Anantapur Rural tahsildar also gave advance possession of the land to the temple authorities for shifting.
On January 4 morning, the tahsildar and mandal executive magistrate proceeded to the temple premises. The temple committee represented by its treasurer B. Siva Prasad, along with the temple priest, performed poojas and shifted the idol and pooja kalasham to the newly constructed temple in Kakkalapalli village.
However, BJP district unit staged a protest over the issue. When the tahsildar had been taking up plans to level the highway at the old temple spot, a group of transgender and others brought back the idol and put it in the old place.
Devotees charge that authorities took up the shifting rituals in Sunya Masam, when no holy activities must be performed.
Police have posted a picket at the site.
