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Devaswom staff for novel protest

The Malabar Devaswom Staff Union is gearing up for a different kind of agitation. Peeved over the alleged delay in constituting the Malabar Devaswom Board, the union is planning a dharna in front of the Secretariat on November 1.

The protesters will wear the traditional attire of `ottamundu' (a type of dhoti) and sport `kudumas' (a lock of hair on a shaven head) and `olakkudas (palm-leaf umbrellas),' symbolising the tradition and rituals followed in the State more than 50 years ago. A memorandum on traditional `thaliyola' (palm leaf) will be submitted to the Devaswom Minister on the occasion. The union decided to have this protest at its State executive conference in Vadakara in the district recently. The union says successive Governments in the State since 1956 have failed to constitute the Board.

Though three Bills to constitute the Board were presented before the Assembly, none of them become a law. The union wants service of all temple employees in Malabar to be made permanent and payment of salary every month.

J.S. Bablu

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