THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The High Court on Tuesday issued an order against the district administration’s direction to the Vellayani Devi Temple to use politically neutral colours for festival decorations. The order came on a petition filed by members of the temple advisory committee alleging that the district administration and police issued orders at the behest of the ruling CPM.
The district administration’s order was issued after a meeting of stakeholders that discussed the row over the insistence of the temple advisory committee to use decors in saffron and the local CPM workers’ opposition to it. Majority of the advisory committee members are BJP supporters. Of the 13 members selected from among the devotees through a draw of lots, seven are BJP supporters, four belong to the CPM and one is a Congress loyalist.
The court ruled that the district administration or the police cannot meddle with the power of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) in conducting Kaliyoottu festival, in accordance with the custom, rituals and practices of Vellayani Bhadrakali Devi Temple.
The temple is under the TDB. In case there is an apprehension of any untoward incident in the temple or its premises, the district administration and the police should take steps to ensure law and order maintenance, the order said. The TDB is duty-bound to see that the regular traditional rites and ceremonies are performed promptly and establish facilities for devotees. The temple advisory committee is duty-bound to render necessary assistance to the board and its officials for the smooth functioning of the temple activities, the order said.
Meanwhile the police have registered a case against eight BJP workers for ransacking a temporary shed where they were stationed. The temple advisory committee had provided space for the police and KSRTC to set up their temporary offices. These spaces were in the same pandal where the committee office was set up. But the police preferred to sit in another makeshift pandal arranged on the premises. This provoked the BJP workers to ransack the space.
TDB told to conduct festival according to rituals
The court ruled that the district administration or the police cannot meddle with the power of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) in conducting Kaliyoottu festival, in accordance with the custom, rituals and practices of Vellayani Bhadrakali Devi Temple