Salem priest files petition against DMK's woman councillor in Madras HC

CHENNAI: A Salem based HR&CE temple priest has filed a petition before the Madras High Court alleging that he was suspended from the service due to the instigation of a woman DMK councillor whose supporters had reportedly assaulted the petitioner. The petitioner submitted that the attack and suspension were since he stopped the councillor when she tried to enter the temple by wearing a nightgown.

According to the petitioner named BR Kannan, he was working as a priest with Sri Seetha Ramachandra Moorthi Temple in Ammapet, Salem.

"When I was on the duty in the temple on April 18, 2022, Salem corporation's 40th ward DMK councillor Manjula Rajmohan came to the temple in a nightgown. I objected to the same as the devotees should enter the temple with the traditional dress code. Therefore, she got agitated and started abusing me and threatened me that she would ensure that I will not serve in the temple," the petitioner submitted before a bench of justices GR Swaminathan and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy.

He further said that the DMK councillor had visited the temple again on April 27, 2022, with 60 of her supporters and one had attacked him on the chest.

"After this incident, the executive officer had issued a charge sheet memo and suspension order on May 5. This was due to the instigation of the woman councillor. It is noted that she had taken a few idols from the temple on April 27. Since I questioned her, the suspension order was passed as an act of retaliation," he added.

On recording the submissions, the bench ordered notice to the HR&CE and issued private notices to the EO of the temple and the councillor for filing their responses separately.

The matter has been adjourned to June 1.