Controversial Dismissal of Employees at Shani Shingnapur Shrine Sparks Protests
Dismissal of Employees at Shani Shingnapur Shrine
The trust overseeing the Shani Shingnapur shrine in Maharashtra's Ahilyanagar district has terminated the employment of 167 individuals, including 114 Muslims, reportedly due to disciplinary issues, according to a local news report.
The Shri Shaneshwar Devasthan Trust cited reasons such as ongoing absenteeism and misconduct as grounds for the dismissals.
This decision follows protests from Hindutva groups opposing the employment of Muslim staff at the shrine.
In May, a controversy arose when a video surfaced on social media, allegedly showing Muslim workers performing maintenance tasks within the temple premises.
On May 21, protests erupted, with Hindutva groups demanding the removal of Muslim employees in response to the video.
These groups, along with Nationalist Congress Party MLA Sangram Jagtap, announced plans for a "Hindu Dharma Protection March" to address the issue.
Jagtap was quoted saying, "Shani Shingnapur Devasthan is a temple of the Hindu faith. A total of 118 Muslim employees have been recruited at this temple. This is not appropriate."
On Friday, the Shri Shaneshwar Devasthan Trust convened a meeting where they decided to dismiss all employees flagged for irregular attendance since January.
During a previous meeting on June 8, 99 employees were identified for dismissal, with an additional 68 named in the latest meeting.
Shri Shaneshwar Devasthan's CEO, GK Darandale, stated that no dismissals were made based on religious or caste affiliations.
Darandale noted that out of 2,464 employees, only 900 were actively working.
He emphasized that the list of dismissed workers included individuals from various religious backgrounds, not solely Muslims.
Shani Shingnapur is renowned for its unique tradition of houses without doors or locks, stemming from the belief that the Hindu god Shani safeguards the village from theft. The temple trust, established in 1963, employs over 2,400 staff members for daily operations, maintenance, and the management of temple properties.