Stay in plea against inclusion of person in panel to identify Agamic temples

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Wednesday granted an interim stay on a petition filed by the All India Adi Saiva Sivachariyargal Sangam against the inclusion of a person in a committee to identify Agamic temples for the appointment of Archakas (priests).

The petitioners in the complaint before the court said that the person M.P. Sathyavel Murugan, a retired government employee, has been holding views opposite to that of the Sivachariyars and that he should not have been included in the five member committee to select the Archakas.

Acting Chief Justice, T. Raja and Justice D. Bharatha Chakravarthy granted the interim stay for a period of four weeks on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by the Sangam.

The Court stayed a government order constituting a five member committee headed by Justice (Rtd) M. Chockalingam to identify Agamic temples for appointing Archakas.

The HR&CE department had circulated a questionnaire framed by Sathiyavel Murugan to various temples to collect details regarding the Agamic practices followed by them.

Temple activist T.R. Ramesh filed a PIL against the communique by Murugan questioning his authority to frame such a questionnaire. He had specifically mentioned in the petition that Murugan must not be made a member of the committee to be constituted for the selection of Archakas.

However the government issued the orders on January 31 and the order was communicated to Justice (Rtd) M. Chockalingam.

The Sivachariyars in the petition stated that Murugan has been spreading false narratives about Agama Sastras and was a proclaimed critic of the Vedas and Agamas.

In the affidavit, the Sivachariyars said, "Murugan has his own erroneous opinion about Hindu traditions and has been spreading falsehoods over a period of time and maligning the Sivachariyars."