Starting 8 June, the central government has allowed the opening of places of religious worship with certain rules in place.
The rules also include the use of alcohol-based sanitiser dispensing machines, among others.
A priest in Madhya Pradesh has expressed opposition to this and said that he is against the use of sanitisers inside temples as they contain alcohol.
Speaking to ANI, Chandrashekhar Tiwari, the priest of Maa Vaishnavadham Nav Durga Temple in Bhopal, said:
When we cannot enter a temple after drinking alcohol, then how can we sanitise our hand with alcohol and go inside.
While saying this, he also said that he is not against maintaining personal hygiene and suggested to install a machine for washing hands outside the temple.
In its guidelines for the reopening of temples, the Centre has said that footwear should preferably be taken off inside vehicles and touching of statues, idols and holy books won’t be allowed.
The guidelines also say that there will be no distribution of prasad or sprinkling of holy water within the temple premises.