National Pilgrim Centre for Sabarimala: Chief Minister has no Rights to seek the status, say Kummanam

Hindu Aikya Vedi General Secretary Kummanam Rajashekharan has stated that Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, who has not even taken a step towards declaration of Sabarimala as State Pilgrim Centre, has no right seeking national status for the temple. The statements were made during the inauguration of a remonstration organized by Hindu Aikya Vedi, protesting against the government’s step motherly attitude towards the temple.

“Sabarimala has now become the biggest junk yard centre ever and River Pampa, the river filled with wastes. If you will observe, maximum number of reports submitted by Enquiry Commission is on Sabarimala. And this holy pilgrim centre has now become a centre for corruption, mismanagement, and violation of human rights. It is the constitutional responsibility of a government to provide pilgrims with food, water, health check facilities, transport, security, toilet facilities etc,” said Kummanam Rajashekharan.

Pointing out the fact that the state government, in two months, gets a revenue of Rs ten thousand crores from the five crore pilgrims who arrive here, Kummanam Rajashekharan said almost a lakh people earned their livelihood through the season either directly or on an indirect basis. “But see what the government has granted- just Rs 25 crores for road expansion for 15 Panchayats. No interim halt refreshing centres for pilgrims. In fact those who are involved in gross negligence of pilgrims’ welfare should be prosecuted for violation of human rights,” he said.

Stressing the woes faced by pilgrims, the stalwart human rights crusader said that an inquiry report submitted by Justice Hariharan Nair Commission, investigating into the death of 103 Ayyappas at Pulimettil has not seen the light of day. “The commission had also recommended making arrangements for darshan of Makarajyothi at places like Parunthumpara, Panchalimedu; implementing of basic amenities for Ayyappas coming via Pulmedu and extension of Vandiperiyar Satram Road. Now, a Chief Minister who is incapable of providing bare necessities to pilgrims is seeking the status of National Pilgrimage centre in Sabarimala. Three well known places in Periyar Tiger Reserve are Sabarimala, Thekedy and Gavi. But unfortunately, Sabarimala which draws five crore pilgrims do not even have the facilities of Gavi which has just 6000 inhabitants or Thekedy, which has a population of 5 crores,” he voiced out.