Proposal for 25 crore Que complex abandoned for 125 crore Que complex in Guruvayur

Guruvayur: Hindu organizations have registered protests against the Guruvayur Devasom Board’s move to proceed with construction of a queue complex in haste.

A protest was staged against the laying of foundation stone by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy. Inaugurating the protest rally, state president of Kshetra Samrakshana Samiti Swami Ayyappadas said that the devaswom board’s move is only aimed at hoodwinking devotees.

Raising apprehensions over the ambiguity shrouding the hasty construction of the queue complex, Hindu Aikya Vedi general secretary Kummanam Rajashekharan reiterated that the queue complex was not in accordance with the requirement of devotees. Seeking to know why the previously selected spot was not being considered any more, Kummanam said, “When Thottathil Raveendran was chairman of the board, it was decided to have the queue complex on the Southern part of the temple. For this purpose, temple priests and others who were traditional dwellers of the temple were evicted too. An estimate of 25 crore rupees was laid out for the project. Later when TV Chandra Mohan took over reins, a fresh master plan as chalked out with an estimate of 125 crores laid out. It is appalling to think that the previous plan is being rejected. The reasons should be made clear. Also there is ambiguity regarding the haste being shown in executing the project, at a time when the current administration has just two months left in office.”

On Monday, the Devaswom Board members had initiated talks with leaders of Hindu AIkya Vedi and other Hindu organizations, where leaders of Hindu organizations including Kummanam Rajashekharan made it clear that Chief Minister Oommen Chandy must withdraw from the queue complex project, failing which there would be strong protests. The Devaswom Board however, is said to have highhandedly made it clear that they intended proceeding with the laying of foundation stone