CPM, BJP stage walkout

Hyderabad, Dec 18 (UNI) Members of the Opposition Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today staged a walkout in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly in protest against the government's alleged neglect of the welfare temple employees.

Replying to a question from CPI(M) Floor Leader Nomula Narasimhaiah and other members of the pary, Endowments Minister J C Diwakar Reddy informed the House that the government had set up a corpus fund for the welfare of the Archakas and other employees of the temples under the supervision of the Endowments Commissioner.

At present, the corpus was worth Rs 53.45 crore. Besides, the government was providing medical reimbursement, marriage advance and ex-gratia in case of death to the employees.

Dissatisfied with the Minister's reply, Mr Narasimhaiah led his members out. He claimed though there were over two lakh archakas (priests) working in various temples under the Endowment Department, the government had failed to provide salaries to the priests and other employees according to Supreme Court guidelines.

However, the Minister clarified that only 30,000 employees were under the purview of the Endowments Department.

Later, the two BJP members led by Floor Leader G Kishen Reddy also followed suit on the issue.

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