Thrissur: Minister for Devaswom G. Sudhakaran has said there is no plan to create a unified Devaswom Board in the State.

Addressing a function to inaugurate a Veda Pata Sala set up by the Guruvayur Devaswom at Kaveedu on Saturday, Mr. Sudhakaran said that any move to create a unified Devaswom Board was not pragmatic.

"The Malabar Devaswom Board will be formed in 2007. The Government is ready for an open discussion on the Devaswom ordinance. Some of the recommendations of the Hindu Aikya Vedi and the Nair Service Society were considered while formulating the ordinance. As Sree Narayana Guru is not a deity, temples of the Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam will not be taken over. There will be 50 per cent job reservation for backward communities in Devaswoms. Appointment to posts in Travancore and Cochin Devaswom Boards has been brought under the Public Service Commission (PSC). The Government plans to bring appointment to posts in Guruvayur Devaswom too under the PSC," he said.

Mr. Sudhakaran said that former Minister for Tourism K.V. Thomas had no right to speak about Hindu shrines. "He is a fundamentalist."

Mr. Sudhakaran also alleged that the Cochin Devaswom Board and the Sabarimala administration were centres of corruption. "We want to check people who exploit shrines. Those who continue to perpetrate the offence will share the fate of Travancore Devaswom Board president G. Raman Nair and Cochin Devaswom Board president M.A. Krishnanunni," Mr. Sudhakaran said.

The Minister said that Rs.43 lakh had been sanctioned for the development of Sabarimala. "But the amount will be handed over only after the Special Commissioner assumes charge."

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