Governor Thawarchand Gehlot performs puja at Anjanadri hills

KOPPAL: Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot on Friday performed puja at the foot of the Anjandri hills temple near Anegundi in Ganagavati taluk.

The district administration gave him a red carpet welcome and MLA Munavalli felicitated the governor. The district administration including the deputy commissioner, superintendent of police, zilla panchayat CEO and tahsildar were present.

Governor Thaawarchand received a warm welcome and was honoured by district administration of Koppal.

A minor tussle ensued between the shrine’s priest Vidyadasa Baba and the police personnel as he was not allowed to perform puja at the temple since it was a government programme. The governor visited the temple with ‘Z’ plus security. District administration appointed an official priest at the temple for the governor’s visit according to government order.

A tussle between Vidyadasa Baba and security held for not allowing him into the shrine.

The police tried to convince him to leave the place till the governor’s programme ends, but he was not ready to do so and asked the officers to give it in writing. When the police agreed to it, he agreed to leave the place.

Priest of Anjanadri temple Vidyadasa Baba created high drama during the Governor’s visit.

Vidyadasa Baba claimed that the government illegally took over the shrine four years ago. “I went the High Court and got a stay order. They have committed contempt of the order. Deputy Commissioner P Sunil Kumar gave in writing that they will follow the order, but now the district administration is not following it. This is not DC’s family puja. I should perform the puja, and I have the right to do it. But I am not creating any trouble for the government-appointed priest”, he said.

A Muslim family from Raichur visited the Anjanadri temple on Friday.

Meanwhile, on the same day, a few Muslim women from Ganjalli village in Sindhanur taluk of Raichur district also visited the temple along with their children.