The passage of bill would now enable the eight member management committee to appoint 50% women priests at Kolhapur temple.
State Assembly on Wednesday passed the Bill abolishing hereditary rights and privileges of priests performing daily rituals and related functioning at Kolhapur Ambabai temple. The passage of bill would now enable the eight member management committee to appoint 50% women priests at Kolhapur temple.
Recently, the alleged scam coupled with providing Ghagra-Choli to deity Ambabai at Kolhapur temple had created a row and the city of Kolhapur had faced tension for a few weeks. Kolhapur MLAs had raised the issue in previous sessions after which the state had announced amendments to the existing provisions for providing for better management of the temple.
The Bill aims at allotting a committee for better administration, governance of the temple to avoid any controversy as well as to adhere to daily temple rituals. MLA Rajesh Kshirsagar pointed out that state should have control on the trust since there are issues pertaining to immovable properties of the temple trust. He also pointed out that there is no need to provide compensation to existing priests since they have earned wealth to the tune of crores of rupees in last many years. Kshirsagar also demanded appointment of women priests since deity Ambabai is worshipped by women and women should have the right to perform daily rituals.
Former CM Prithviraj Chavan asked as to whether the state was envisaging bringing a legislation to provide for women priests in all such temples. MLA Harshvardhan Sapkal pointed out that Shegaon Gajanan Maharaj temple has model arrangements for almost all aspects of temple trust and asked whether this model can be followed by Kolhapur and other temple trusts.
Minister of state for Urban Development, Dr Ranjit Patil said appointing women priests would be incorporated. He also informed that as per demands by MLA Rajesh Kshirsagar priests trained from training institute founded by legendary Shahu Maharaj would be given appointments at Kolhapur temple.
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