Nepal PM backtracks in temple row

by Sanjay Jha | January 7, 2009 at 10:50 pm

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Owing to mounting pressure from his coalition partner Nepalese prime Minister Prachana has rescind the appointment of Nepali priests at the one of holiest temple for Hindus.

The government came into controversy after it appointed Nepali priests at the temple last Sunday, breaking the three centuries-old practice of appointing priests from South India.

In a twist to the ongoing controversy surrounding the appointment of Nepali priests at Pashupatinath temple, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Wednesday scrapped all the decisions, including the appointment of new priests, taken by the Pashupatinath Area Development Trust (PADT).
“In my capacity as prime minister and PADT patron, I have decided to approve the resignation tendered by old priests (Indian priests) and revoked the appointment of new ones (Nepali priests),” Dahal said while addressing the Legislature-Parliament on Wednesday.

“I honour the Supreme Court order and have directed the PADT to manage normal worship at the temple by the same Indian priests for the time being,” Dahal said. The SC on last Thursday had issued an interim order to the government asking the latter to assign the same Indian priests the

task of performing daily worship at the temple.

Stating that the appointment of Nepali priests has sent shockwaves even in India, Dahal said he has directed PADT to recommend a name list of priests to him for appointment. He said new priests at the temple will be appointed in a transparent manner. But he did not elaborate whether the new priests will be Nepalis or Indians.