Left Govt’s Puppets: How Vasavan and Satchidananda Are Sidelining Tantris and Interfering in Hindu Traditions

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No Need for Tantri’s Permission, Says Minister Vasavan: Government Opposes Shirt Removal in Temples

Kerala: Devaswom Minister VN Vasavan told to Media that the government would favour male devotees entering temple shrines wearing shirts. The minister then gave it to the Devaswoms to make the final call on the matter by Sidelining Tantris Role

this Statement came In response to Swami Satchidananda’s call for government intervention in temple dress codes by without consulting Thantris, the traditional temple priests,

V. N. Vasavan’s Statement:

"I fully support Swami Satchidananda's view that Tantris need not be consulted regarding the practice of wearing shirts inside temple shrines. While Tantris may have a say in the rituals performed, the authority to decide dress codes rests with the Devaswom Boards. What one chooses to wear is a fundamental right. Furthermore, removing shirts in crowded spaces can cause discomfort and lead to skin ailments. Many devotees have expressed their concerns on this matter. In Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, temples allow entry with shirts on, and even in Kerala, some have called for adopting Sabarimala’s approach, where this is not enforced. Change is inevitable."

While the minister frames this as an issue of personal choice and modernization, it is yet another instance of the Left government’s ideological agenda—systematically undermining Hindu traditions while selectively respecting those of other religions. Kerala’s communist rulers have long treated Hindu temples as administrative units rather than sacred spaces, exploiting Devaswom Boards as political tools to enforce their vision of "progress."

Tantris, the rightful guardians of temple rituals, are now being sidelined in favor of state-controlled boards that reflect the government’s political priorities rather than the spiritual needs of devotees. This is not about improving temple practices; it is about consolidating control over Hinduism by diminishing the role of traditional religious authorities.

The hypocrisy is glaring. While the Left government selectively imposes its will on Hindu religious practices, it refrains from interfering in the traditions of other faiths. Would the same government dare to impose such changes on religious practices in churches or mosques? The selective targeting of Hindu traditions reveals the true nature of this interference—an ideological assault on Hindu identity, disguised as rational reform.

Hinduism, with its deep-rooted customs and centuries-old practices, has flourished without government intervention. The increasing politicization of temple management risks turning these sacred spaces into mere extensions of the state’s ideological machinery. Instead of preserving the sanctity of temples, the Left government seeks to reshape them according to its own political agenda.