THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government’s action in taking over the Theerthapada Mandapam at East Fort is a precursor to the takeover of Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple in future, BJP leader Kummanam Rajasekharan has said. He was speaking to reporters after visiting the spot on Monday.
“It is nothing but a cowardly action which took place at night to challenge the freedom of religion and worship. The government has taken over a pilgrim centre based on its muscle power and administrative power. So this could be a trial to take over Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple. The LDF government has taken over Sivagiri mutt in 1998 and evicted the saints residing there. So the government is repeating the mistake. Yesterday it was Sivagiri. Today it is Theerthapada Mandapam and tomorrow it will be Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple. It is an unjustified action towards a spiritual icon Sree Chattambi Swamikal who was born and brought up in Thiruvananthapuram. But there is no memorial for him in the district. Sree Vidyadhiraja Sabha was to open a memorial here and that too was destroyed by the government. Hence there is a large conspiracy behind the action,” he said.
The revenue officials took over the 65 cents which include the Theerthapada Mandapam at East Fort on Saturday night around 8.30 pm. The takeover was based on a government order issued by the revenue principal secretary. However, Sree Vidyadhiraja Sabha has decided to move the High Court.
When the Vidhyadhiraja Sabha decided to construct a Chattambi Swami Memorial on the land, revenue principal secretary V Venu issued an order to take over the land. In the order, he also cancelled the earlier order issued in 1976 which assigned 65 cents to Sri Vidyadhiraja Sabha. However, the government acknowledged the existence of a Chattambi Swami temple on the land and said the government would consider the assignment of land where the temple of Chattambi Swami is located if the trust files a fresh application for that parcel of land.
The revival of Pathrakkulam, the area where the Theerthpada Mandapam is currently located, was one of the suggestions mooted by experts for a solution for flash floods happening in Thampanoor and East Fort regions.