THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran on Monday said the High Court-appointed monitoring committee’s mandate does not end with the counting of toilets and bathrooms at Sabarimala. On Sunday, the minister had said the committee should examine the situation at Sabarimala, wherein the 11-member Manithi team was sent back by protestors. The committee, however, responded that it was not part of its mandate.
“The HC had appointed the committee in the wake of the peculiar situation following the Supreme Court verdict. It should advise the government and the Travancore Devaswom Board on the law and order issues. There is already another commission to look into other affairs,” he said.
Committee member Justice P R Raman said the minister had the right to speak his mind. Women’s entry at Sabarimala is not under the committee’s purview. Earlier too, the committee had stated that it will not interfere in the law and order issues. The government had not sought the advice of the committee so far.
Police register cases, arrest 10
The Pampa police have registered cases against 41 people and arrested 10 for obstructing women from Tamil Nadu, who attempted to enter Sabarimala shrine, on Sunday. Another 200 people have also been booked for blocking the women devotees.
A separate case has been registered against 150 people at Sannidhanam police station for obstructing two women devotees at Marakkoottam on Monday. Another 40 people have been booked by Pampa police for blocking the two women. The police have also booked 50 people for holding ‘namajapam’ at Sannidhanam.