To prevent theft of donations, a new dress code has been implemented for priests and employees in Mansa Devi Temple of Haridwar. Now they will have to wear kurtas without pockets. 65 CCTV cameras have also been installed for transparency.
Haridwar: After complaints of theft of donation money in temples like Ayodhya and Badrinath, the famous Mansa Devi temple of Haridwar has taken a big step. The temple has implemented a new dress code for its priests and staff. According to this new rule, from now on priests will have to wear kurtas without pockets. Mansa Devi Temple Trust Chairman Ravindra Puri has welcomed this decision. He told that the priest and other employees are completely following the rule of wearing clothes without pockets.
Last Wednesday itself, new clothes without pockets were distributed to the priests and employees by the Temple Trust. Speaking to news agency PTI, Ravindra Puri said, “This arrangement has been made after allegations of theft of money offered in temples. We believe that if clothes do not have pockets, then there will be no scope for keeping the money offered in the pockets.”
He further said, “Due to the wrong actions of some people, questions are raised on the entire temple administration and Sanatan tradition. Therefore, it was necessary to take this step to maintain the trust of the devotees.”
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Apart from distributing pocketless clothes, 65 CCTV cameras have also been installed to bring more transparency in the functioning of the temple. Along with this, a special committee of seven priests has also been formed to handle donations and oversee the arrangements of the temple. The Trust has made it clear that it is fully committed to ensuring that every rupee donated reaches the temple directly and a receipt is also given to the devotees. According to officials, the purpose of this step is to prevent any irregularities in donations and maintain the trust of the devotees.