Action follows complaint by women workers

Authorities of the Sri Kanaka Durga Mallesewara Swamyvarla Devasthanam have suspended a sanitary inspector for allegedly resorting to proselytisation.

Sources said that Kiran, the sanitary inspector, was allegedly forcing women workers to visit church and embrace Christianity.

Unable to put up with the pressure allegedly being mounted by Mr. Kiran, the women workers reportedly approached leaders of the BJP and the Hindu Yuva Sakthi (HYS).

When the leaders accosted Mr. Kiran on Friday, he reportedly claimed that he was a Hindu despite having a ring of the alien faith on his person.

The leaders then recorded his statements and presented them before the temple authorities.

Later, based on the complaint lodged by the women workers, the temple authorities suspended Mr. Kiran.

Earlier instance

In a similar incident in 2015, two youths had been taken into custody by the police on the charge of proselytisation at Arandal Satram (choultry) maintained by the temple management.

The police registered a case after the temple authorities lodged a complaint in this regard.

The accused, P. Raju and Sandeep, who belong to an alien faith, were engaged by a contractor at the ‘kesakhandanasala’.

On receiving an anonymous call that the youths were propagating another religion at the choultry, the authorities had searched the room of the accused in the presence of the police and found scriptures belonging to the alien faith.

Subsequently, the temple authorities had asked the staff members to file an affidavit on their religion.

In a circular, Ch. Narsing Rao, who was then the Executive Officer, had said that every employee, including temporary, daily wage, and NMR, should declare their faith.

Following the circular, an employee, who was reluctant to give the declaration, had submitted his resignation.