MUMBAI, June 15 -- Controversy has erupted over the dismissal of 114 workers from the Muslim community by the Shri Shaneshwar Devasthan, the trust that manages the Shani Shingnapur temple in Ahilyanagar district. The 144 workers are among a total 167 workers who have been dismissed, allegedly on disciplinary grounds, for failure to perform their duties. The temple, in Shani Shingnapur village, in Nevasa tehsil, is patronised by lakhs of devotees from all over the country. The temple trust also runs various public service institutions like hospitals, hostels and solid waste management projects. Last month, a video went viral online, showing Muslim workers performing maintenance work and painting the property. Local BJP workers along with activists of an outfit called the Sakal Hindu Samaj objected, and performed a purification ceremony at the temple. Following protests, the trust dismissed the workers, who were employed in departments such as maintenance, solid waste management, agriculture etc. Asked if the action amounted to discrimination based on religion, Tushar Bhosale, who heads the BJP's spiritual cell, said, "Various organisations are registered with the charity commissioner and we have no objection to Muslims or people from any other religion working there. But the Shani Shingnapur temple is a Hindu shrine running on donations given by Hindus for religious reasons. This money should be used for Hindus only, and we will not allow non-Hindus to work in Hindu shrines." Shri Shaneshwar Devasthan chief executive officer GK Darandale claimed that no one was removed for religious or caste reasons. "The temple trust employs 2,464 workers but only 900 have been active. We removed the 167 workers for not performing their duties and irregular attendance for the last few months. Along with Muslims, there are Hindus and people from different castes in the list of 167 workers. They were working on a daily-wage basis."...