TNN
Bangalore, Jul 3: The new muzarai minister V Somanna is following in his predecessor Ess Enn Krisshnaiah Setty's footsteps when it comes to announcing schemes that raise eyebrows.
Proving he is in no way different from Setty, Somanna said he has directed all temples under the muzarai department to conduct suryodaya puja for the welfare of the state and its people.
"I have asked the priests to conduct such pujas before 6 am every day so that regular devotees are not inconvenienced,'' Somanna told reporters here on Thursday.
It may be recalled that Setty had issued a controversial circular in June last year directing temples across the state to perform pooja in the name of chief minister B S Yeddyurappa. In the face of criticism, Yeddyurappa himself ordered the withdrawal of the circular.
On Shivaratri day, Setty had arranged to distribute Ganga jal from Rishikesh at all the Shiva temples across the state. He had also planned to distribute Tirupathi laddoos at the AKKA conference in America earlier last year.