Karnataka forms 2,500-km-long human chain to mark 'International Day of Democracy'
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka on Sunday marked the 'International Day of Democracy' by forming a 'historic' 2,500-km-long human chain as a symbol of equality, unity, fraternity, and participative governance.
The massive human chain, which according to the Karnataka government will be the "world's longest", is being formed across the state from Bidar to Chamarajanagar, covering all 31 districts.
The state government has taken the lead in organising the large-scale event to mark the day in association with civil society.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah joined the human chain at the main event held in front of Vidhana Soudha, the seat of state legislature and secretariat here, along with senior Ministers and officials.
The CM led by reading the preamble of the Constitution, following which people from various walks of life, including transgenders and differently-abled people held hands to form the human chain.
Similar events were held in all districts of the state in which Ministers, public representatives and senior officials took part.
A world record verifying team from London will arrive for the innovative and massive event, officials said.
The human chain will be approximately 2,500 km long, and is said to be the "longest in the history of the world".
A total of 25 lakh people are expected to participate, with an average of more than 1,000 people for each kilometre, the government has said.
During the event, 10 lakh saplings are expected to be planted in the state by the participants, it added.
According to officials, the participants of the human chain will be given certificates.
Last year, the government organised a mega event of reading the Constitution's preamble as part of the 'International Day of Democracy' celebrations.
Since 2007, September 15th has been declared as the International Day of Democracy, which is celebrated globally. Proclaimed by the United Nations (UN), the day serves as a platform to promote and uphold the principles of democracy worldwide.
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SC to hear pleas for reviewing wages of priests, temple staff
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on Monday a plea to constitute a judicial commission or an expert committee to review the wages and other benefits given to priests, 'sevadars' and temple staff in state-controlled temples.
A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta is likely to hear the PIL filed by advocate Ashwini Upadhyay.
The plea, filed through advocate Ashwani Dubey, seeks directions to the Centre and states to constitute a judicial commission or an expert committee to review the remuneration and other benefits given to the priests and temple staff in state-controlled temples.
"Petitioner also seeks a declaration that priests and temple staff are employee' under Section 2(k) of the Code on Wages, 2019. Petitioner submits that once the State assumes the administrative, economic and financial control over temples, an employer-employee relationship arises and denial of dignified wages to priests and temple staff violates the right to livelihood guaranteed under Article 21," it said.
Upadhyay said the cause of action accrued on April 4, when he went to Varanasi to attend a public programme and after performing 'Rudrabhishek' in the Kashi Vishwanath temple, which is controlled by the state, he came to know that even the minimum wages to live with dignity are not given to the priests and temple staff.
"Recently, in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, priests and temple staff organised a large-scale protest demanding the minimum wages. Priests and temple staff are not getting even the minimum wage prescribed by the State for unskilled and semi-skilled workers. This is a systemic exploitation. State is acting as a model employer through the endowments department, but violating the minimum wages Act and the directive principles of state policy (Article 43)," it said.
The plea further said the continued refusal to meet the minimum wages with the 2026 inflation-adjusted cost of living index has forced the petitioner to seek judicial intervention to prevent the further marginalisation of priests and temple staff.
Upadhyay further said the precarious nature of livelihood was starkly exposed on February 7, 2025, when a Tamil Nadu department issued a circular at the 'Dandayuthapani Swami Temple' in Madurai, strictly prohibiting priests from accepting 'dakshina' in 'aarti plates'.
"It is necessary to state that priests in such temples often receive no formal salary from the State and rely entirely on 'Dakshina'; the State's administrative order directly threatened them with starvation. Although withdrawn due to public outrage, the incident highlights the State's arbitrary power over the survival of the priests. This is also a bitter truth that States are controlling lakhs of temples but not a single mosque or church," the PIL claimed.
The petition, alternatively, sought direction to the Centre and states to take appropriate steps for the welfare of priests, sevadars and other temple staff in the spirit of the Allahabad High Court's earlier judgments.
