Annadana Kendram: VHP hints at TDB-hotel nexus
Devotees forced to eat at the only operational hotel
Kochi: The VHP has charged the Travancore Devaswom Board with not operating all ‘Annadana Kendrams’ (free food supply centres) at Sabarimala on Tuesday when hundreds of devotees offered pray-ers at the Lord Ayyappa temple on the occasion of ‘Chithira Attavisesham.’
“The TDB had earlier submitted before the High Court that it would provide ‘annadanam’ whenever the temple is opened. Till last year, the same was provided by ‘Akhila Kerala Ayyappa Seva Sangham.’ However, it failed to operate the centres today which resulted in many devotees starving,” said S.J.R. Kumar, state president, VHP.
He charged that the move was to help the hotels which had won the contract to operate at Sannidhanam and Pampa.
“Only a single hotel was open today (Tuesday) and it was charging exorbitant amoun-ts for the food supplied. Till last year, ‘Annad-ana Kendrams’ were active on all occasions whenever the temple was open,” he said.
However, a TDB official said the centres would be fully functional when the temple opens for the ‘Mandala Pooja Maholsavam’ on November 16.
“One of the centres was open today (Tuesday) and all the remaining will be functional by the start of the season when nearly one lakh pilgrims would be offered free food daily,” he said.
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