‘Devaswom amendments to suit UDF’s interest’

Amendments were made in the devaswom ordinance to suit the UDF’s political interests, BJP state president V Muraleedharan has alleged. While addressing the mediapersons after the party’s state leadership meet here on Wednesday, Muraleedharan said that even when there are only a few days left for the Sabarimala season to begin, the state government has not constituted the devaswom board.

“The decisions regarding the temples and the devaswom board should be taken after discussions with the people concerned. Instead, the government takes decisions based on the demands of the Muslim League and the Kerala Congress,” he said.

He added that the government has not initiated the preparations for the welfare of pilgrims during the Sabarimala season.

A meeting of the senior party leaders in south Kerala will be held at Chengannur on November 14 to finalise the mode of agitation against the government’s lackadaisical attitude. Terming former KMRL managing director Tom Jose as a tool in the hands of politicians with vested interests, Muraleedharan said that there has been a deliberate attempt to keep the DMRC and E Sreedharan away from the Kochi Metro Rail project.

 There are some vested interests in the UDF, who are eager to make a financial gain out of the project, he alleged.

As part of the agitations against the government in this issue, the BJP would organise a five-day-long ‘satyagraha’ in Ernakulam from November 19. The agitations would be organised on a number of issues, including Paliyekkara toll, Aranmula airport, bus charge hike, LPG subsidy and price hike.

He pointed out the Chief Minister’s assurance   that a decision on the controversial Kovalam palace issue would be taken only after the all-party meet on November 12. “But even before that, the government has decided to lease the land. The BJP will express its strong demand that the palace and the surrounding lands should be kept under government possession only,” he said.

The BJP would organise four regional-level leadership meetings at Thiruvananthapuram (November 10), Ernakulam (November 12), Thrissur (November 15) and Kozhikode (November 20).

Muraleedharan alleged that with the delay in constituting the devaswom board, there has been a lot of corruption surrounding Sabarimala.

“Last year, the tender for the parking fee was given for Rs 1.9 crore, while this year it was a a mere Rs 90 lakh. There is an attempt to sabotage the pilgrimage at Sabarimala,” he alleged.

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