Kolhapur: The members of the Ambabai Mandir Pujari Hatao Sangharsh Samiti are infuriated against the state government for not inviting them for finalising the draft to regulate the traditional rituals at Mahalaxmi temple The forum is fighting for a separate law to appoint priests through examinations and on salary basis. At present, a few families are carrying out the rituals at the temple.After several agitations against the current system, the government had agreed to draft a new law. The law department has finalised the draft and has called the stakeholders to discuss its clauses on Tuesday and Wednesday. But the Pujari Hatao Samiti has not been called.Subhash Desai, historian and member of the committee said, "It seems the government does not want to include our recommendations in the law and is likely to bend the rules in favour of priests. We have suggested some points to the panel led by the district collector and we are hopeful that the suggestions are incorporated in the final draft. We will intensify the agitation if the final law is against the wishes of the devotees."Desai has recently met a few MLAs and has urged them to raise the issue in the state legislature. Once the deliberations are completed the draft will be tabled before the state cabinet. Earlier, the government has drafted a separate law for Pandharpur temple and Shirdi's Saibaba temple, which has removed all rights of the priests and stipulated that the donations at the temple are used for developing facilities for devotees."The Supreme Court had ordered that the state should make laws to govern the temples and no individual can claim rights on the temple. Rajarshi Shahu Maharaj had set up a 'vedic school' for the people from non-Brahmin castes to attain priesthood. We want the governance of these temples to be reformed," Desai said.

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