The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) is committed to continuing the status quo with regard to the restricted entry for women to the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple till the Supreme Court of India takes a final decision on the matter, board president A. Padmakumar has said.
Talking to reporters at Sabarimala on Monday, Mr. Padmakumar said the board had to strictly adhere to the existing custom and tradition at Sabarimala. Also, those consciously violating the customs would be legally dealt with. A woman from Andhra Pradesh who reached the Sannidhanam, without knowing the restrictions on women’s entry to Sabarimala, was sent back to Pampa with police escort on Sunday.
He said there was a misinformation campaign under way, levelling baseless allegations through social media, against the visit of 53-year-old National Health Mission Chief Engineer Anila C.J. to Sabarimala in connection with the inauguration of the Government Hospital at Sannidhanam on November 16.
Ms. Anila was supervising the work on the hospital and she was at Sabarimala even during the Chief Minister’s visit in October when Prayar Gopalakrishnan was the board president.
Hidden agenda
There was every reason to suspect a hidden political agenda to malign the new board and the government behind the social media campaign criticising the woman Chief Engineer’s visit to Sabarimala after the change of guard in the TDB, he said.
Mr. Padmakumar alleged that the campaign was to spread a false impression that a young woman had entered the Ayyappa temple Sopanam with the knowledge of the TDB. Certain quarters had intensified vilification campaign against the TDB, showing some sort of discontent towards the new board, he alleged. Some disgruntled board staff also were reportedly trying to sabotage the ongoing pilgrimage. Stern action would be taken against them, he said.
Flyover to be removed
Mr. Padmakumar said the flyover erected on the Ayyappa temple premises for the VIPs to have darshan at the shrine would be removed. Devotees of Lord Ayyappa should get equal treatment at Sabarimala and the new board was against any kind of dual treatment to the pilgrims, he said.
He said all unnecessary constructions on the southern side of the temple too would be demolished and anything that destroyed the splendour of the temple precincts would not be permitted, he said.
No ‘special darshan’
Mr. Padmakumar said he was against providing ‘special darshan’ at the Ayyappa temple for those who donate ₹1,000 and above to the Annadanam fund. The previous board had taken the decision with a view to mobilising more funds for the Annadanam.
