NASHIK: The trust managing the Shani Shingnapur shrine in Maharashtra‘s Ahilyanagar has recently laid off 167 staffers on “disciplinary grounds”. Of them, 114 (68%) are Muslims, a temple source said.The trust, Shri Shaneshwar Devasthan, has attributed the sackings to “non-performance and long absenteeism” but not cited any specific reasons. The staffers, working for 2-10 years, were sacked in two rounds on June 8 and June 13.An outfit named Sakal Hindu Samaj had threatened a protest on June 14 demanding removal of non-Hindus working in the shrine in Shanishingnapur. This followed a viral video in May showing a man, purportedly not a Hindu, carrying out painting work at the shrine.Devasthan CEO Gorakshanath Darandale justified the removals and denied bias. “There is no question of discrimination in the action. Those removed are from different faiths. The action was strictly disciplinary in nature. Over 2,400 employees work with Devasthan. Many do not report to work. Devasthan had held back their salaries and served show-cause notices. This is the first batch against whom action has been taken,” Darandale said.Another senior Devasthan official said those sacked “were engaged in agriculture, waste management and education departments of the temple trust”. “Some have been absent from work for five months.”