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Politics, graft charges hit Kerala temple body
Political squabbles and allegations of nepotism have given rise to yet another controversy in the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), the body that administers most of the important Hindu temples in southern Kerala including the famous Lord Ayyappa shrine of Sabarimala.
Sources in the TDB say that allegations of nepotism in the appointment of teachers and other staff in the colleges run by the TDB have created a situation where intervention by the Kerala High Court has become unavoidable. Also, inquiries are on into other scandals like the losses incurred by acquisition of jaggery of inferior quality for Aravana (prasadam) at Sabarimala.
The scandal over appointments came up close on the heels of the allegation by State RSP secretary VP Ramakrishna Pillai that the TDB under president M Rajagopalan Nair, a CPI(M) nominee, was witnessing corruption at a level unseen in the entire Kerala history. The RSP has a nominee on the board – K Sicily.
The devotees’ community and Hindu organizations are of the opinion that the temple administration body was witnessing scandal after scandal mainly because it is reflecting the interests of the political parties which have little consideration for matters of belief. They are demanding a bigger say for devotees in such bodies.
The Devaswom Ombudsman has sought explanation from the TDB over the allegation that there was corruption and nepotism behind the appointment of staff members in the colleges run by the board. Justice R Bhaskaran took the decision on the basis of a complaint lodged by KV Padmanabhan, the nominee of the ruling Congress-led UDF on the board.
Confirming that Padmanabhan had lodged a complaint with regard to the appointments in TDB-run colleges, Justice Bhaskaran told the media that the letter seeking the board’s explanation in the matter would be sent, most probably, on Friday. He said the TDB would be asked to provide an explanation within two weeks.
According to Padmanabhan, the appointments in the TDB-run colleges were being made without holding written examinations but on the basis of interviews which too were flawed as candidates favoured by certain people (mainly Rajagopalan Nair) would be given special marks.
However, sources close to Rajagopalan Nair say that Padmanabhan himself had brought several recommendations before the board in favour of candidates of his choice for appointment in the colleges. He had turned against the board after he was told that such practices could not be allowed in the TDB, they say.
After getting the TDB’s explanation, the Ombudsman would submit a report to the Kerala High Court, which would decide the course of action to be taken. Devaswom Minister VS Sivakumar had earlier declared an inquiry by the Devaswom Commissioner into the allegations regarding the appointments in TDB-run colleges.
At the same time, the Devaswom Vigilance Officer had been asked to appear before the Ombudsman in connection with the losses suffered by the TDB due to the acquisition of jaggery of inferior quality for Aravana (the chief prasadam of the Sabarimala temple) which led to bursting of thousands of Aravana cans.
Political squabbles and allegations of nepotism have given rise to yet another controversy in the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), the body that administers most of the important Hindu temples in southern Kerala including the famous Lord Ayyappa shrine of Sabarimala.
Sources in the TDB say that allegations of nepotism in the appointment of teachers and other staff in the colleges run by the TDB have created a situation where intervention by the Kerala High Court has become unavoidable. Also, inquiries are on into other scandals like the losses incurred by acquisition of jaggery of inferior quality for Aravana (prasadam) at Sabarimala.
The scandal over appointments came up close on the heels of the allegation by State RSP secretary VP Ramakrishna Pillai that the TDB under president M Rajagopalan Nair, a CPI(M) nominee, was witnessing corruption at a level unseen in the entire Kerala history. The RSP has a nominee on the board – K Sicily.
The devotees’ community and Hindu organizations are of the opinion that the temple administration body was witnessing scandal after scandal mainly because it is reflecting the interests of the political parties which have little consideration for matters of belief. They are demanding a bigger say for devotees in such bodies.
The Devaswom Ombudsman has sought explanation from the TDB over the allegation that there was corruption and nepotism behind the appointment of staff members in the colleges run by the board. Justice R Bhaskaran took the decision on the basis of a complaint lodged by KV Padmanabhan, the nominee of the ruling Congress-led UDF on the board.
Confirming that Padmanabhan had lodged a complaint with regard to the appointments in TDB-run colleges, Justice Bhaskaran told the media that the letter seeking the board’s explanation in the matter would be sent, most probably, on Friday. He said the TDB would be asked to provide an explanation within two weeks.
According to Padmanabhan, the appointments in the TDB-run colleges were being made without holding written examinations but on the basis of interviews which too were flawed as candidates favoured by certain people (mainly Rajagopalan Nair) would be given special marks.
However, sources close to Rajagopalan Nair say that Padmanabhan himself had brought several recommendations before the board in favour of candidates of his choice for appointment in the colleges. He had turned against the board after he was told that such practices could not be allowed in the TDB, they say.
After getting the TDB’s explanation, the Ombudsman would submit a report to the Kerala High Court, which would decide the course of action to be taken. Devaswom Minister VS Sivakumar had earlier declared an inquiry by the Devaswom Commissioner into the allegations regarding the appointments in TDB-run colleges.
At the same time, the Devaswom Vigilance Officer had been asked to appear before the Ombudsman in connection with the losses suffered by the TDB due to the acquisition of jaggery of inferior quality for Aravana (the chief prasadam of the Sabarimala temple) which led to bursting of thousands of Aravana cans.
