THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government will not implement its decision to abolish police guard of honour at religious ceremonies, for the time being, Devaswom Minister V N Vasavan has said.
“The practice will continue. Though a direction was made earlier, it has not been implemented. Any future decision on the matter will be taken only after consultation with temple authorities,” he told TNIE.
Currently, the guard of honour is performed at about 20 temples in the Tranvancore-Cochin region. These include the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple (for festivals and processions), Thiruvallam Vellayani Devi Temple, Haripad Subrahmanya Temple, Tripunithura Poornathrayeesa Temple, Ernakulam Shiva Temple, Palluruthy Alangad Bhagavathy Temple, Thrissur Oorakam Ammathiruvadi Temple and Thriprayar Sree Rama Temple.
It was in September that the home department decided to do away with the guard of honour at religious rituals. At a meeting convened by additional chief secretary (Home) Biswanath Sinha, it was decided the practice will be allowed only if temple authorities bear its expenses. The meeting was held to address a request from Sree Varaham Sree Kunnandan Ganapathi Temple to provide the guard of honour and police band performance during the Vinayaka Chathurthi procession.
DCP Vijay Bharath Reddy, Sree Varaham Sree Kunnandan Ganapathi Temple advisory committee president C Jayachandran and secretary V Sreekanth had attended the meet, after which the home department had sent a letter to the state police chief.
Sources said the decision was not implemented as a review is on. “The decision to ask temples to bear the expenses is also under review now. No final call was taken to stop the guard of honour,” said a source.
Travancore Devaswom Board President P S Prasanth said the board has not received any official communication from the government. “We came to know about it from media. From what we have understood, it will be applicable for six temples under TDB,” said Prasanth.
Following reports on the decision to abolish the guard of honour, many organisations had raised concerns. All Kerala Brahmins Association said the Union government in 1949 provided a written assurance to the Travancore-Cochin Maharaja, saying temple rituals and traditions would be upheld without any interruptions.
It said the government should provide the guard of honour during festivals in around 20 temples, and it does not have the right to withdraw it. “Even after the direction was issued in September, guard of honour was provided during the Alpashi festival and Navaratri festival at the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple. We have not received any official communication, but feel it might be implemented in future,” said a member of the association.
Hindu Aikya Vedi state secretary Sandeep Thampanoor termed the government’s move part of a deliberate attempt to insult Hindus.
“In 1750 Anizham Tirunal Marthanda Varma, founder of modern Travancore, surrendered his kingdom to Sree Padmanabha Swamy. Since then, the deity became the principal ruler of the state. The constitution also acknowledges the right of deities. It is in this background the guard of honour is being given to deities,” said K P Madhusoodhanan, state coordinator of People for Dharma Trust.
performed at 20 temples
Guard of honour is performed at about 20 temples in Tranvancore-Cochin region, including Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple
At a meeting in September, it was decided the practice will be allowed only if temple authorities bear its expenses. Reports about the decision had sparked concerns.