Plea to protect temple

The Deseeya Aikya Vedi has asked the Centre to take steps at all costs to preserve and protect the valuables found in the vaults of the Sree Padmanabhswamy Temple.

In a memorandum sent to the Prime Minister with copy to the Union Finance Minister on Thursday, Vedi president Vellaikadavu G. Muraleedharan and general secretary C. Anidurdhan said the threat to the centuries-old heritage structure had to be seriously considered and any possible terrorist attack had to be thwarted. The metal detectors at the entry and exit alone would not help. They wanted arrangements to be made for a full video coverage of devotees visiting the temple. They also called for clearing the vicinity of the temple of shops and unauthorised traders.