Alot (Madhya Pradesh): Priests’ union on Friday handed over a memorandum to sub-divisional officer, addressed to the CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan to protest against auction of temple land in Alot town.
They claimed that priests of the temple fall under government authority, are provided agricultural lands to earn their livelihood. The practice has been sustained since the time of the princely state of Dewas because the priests were not paid salaries. Donated agricultural land has been their sole means of earning a livelihood.
They claimed that officials are planning to grab land of priests by using divide and rule policy among priests.
They alleged that only oral information has been provided by Revenue Department officials about the auction of land.
Protesting the move, the priests of Alot area in the memorandum submitted to the SDM also referred to the order of 2018 which claimed that land less than 10 acres in size cannot be auctioned.
Priest of Anadi Kalpeshwar Temple Jitendra Vyas, state office head and national convenor Jitendra Das Sitamau, Babulal Vyas Luni, Tehsil president Mahesh Sharma Talod, state organization minister Vidyanand Goswami, Mahavir Das Bairagi among other members of priest unions were present.
