Do TG temples need social media coordinators?
State govt understood to have decided to hire social media coordinators for over 400 temples across state
Hyderabad: Do temples require social media coordinators; and that too, for ‘promotion’ of the shrines’ activities? The Endowments Department is seized of the matter, as the state government is understood to have decided to hire social media coordinators for over 400 temples across the state ostensibly to “promote” the activities of the respective temples.
At a time when there are tourist bloggers, vloggers as well as social media influencers promoting various temples on their own and in their own way without any remuneration, the state government is planning to spend money to promote the temples. It has been postulated that these social media coordinators, apart from promoting the shrines, can counter the ‘fake news’ allegedly being spread by Opposition parties.
According to sources, the government is planning to appoint social media coordinators in 408 temples in the state. Interestingly, these coordinators will be provided a monthly remuneration. Sources said that these coordinators will promote the work done by the temple committees.
According to sources, the social media coordinators will be appointed on the recommendations of the local MLAs or in-charge Ministers in the districts. Some of the MLAs have in fact already sent their recommendations for appointment of social media coordinators in the temples located in their constituencies. A senior official in the Endowments Department said that the decision comes after a recommendation from the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee president B Mahesh Goud.
In a letter to Telangana's Endowments Minister Konda Surekha, Mahesh Goud proposed accommodating a "Social Media Coordinator" in all newly formed temple committees and trust boards.
The idea behind this, according to him, is to effectively communicate the temples' developmental activities and operations to the masses through various social media platforms.
However, the move has triggered criticism by Hindu groups. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad has strongly criticized this plan and questioned the need for the government to interfere in matters relating to temples. VHP national spokesperson Ravinuthala Shashidhar said: “This is another name for the loot of temple money. Why do temples need promotion? What is the need for the government to promote temples? There are thousands of temples in the country and devotees are visiting these temples without any promotion. It is related to their belief. The government should not look at the functioning of temples as a commercial activity.”
The VHP leader said that the move by the government has a hidden agenda. “The social media personnel of the MLAs and MPs will now be paid on behalf of the temples. The Sammakka Saralamma Jatara has attracted lakhs of people for ages without any promotion. The government should provide arrangements, but they should not use temples for commercial activity,” Shashidhar said.
