Kerala - Kochi   

Panel to handle Sabarimala affairs mooted

KOCHI: The High Power Commission that inquired into the affairs of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) has suggested that the administration of Sabarimala be vested with a committee consisting of experts from different fields.

The Commission appointed by the Kerala High Court was headed by the former Supreme Court judge K.S. Paripoornan and consisted of B.M. Thulasidas, former Kerala High Court judge, and D.R. Karthikeyaran, former director of CBI.

The commission looked into the allegations levelled against the former president, former members and officials of the TDB. It found that there was great suspicion in the matter of acceptance of bribe for posting and transfers and “cloud is cast on the conduct” of the then president and members of the TDB in the matter.

“What we venture to say is that “all is not well” regarding the transfer and posting of officers in the board. Beyond that, we are not in a position to find affirmatively about any bribe having been accepted by the then President and Members of the Board.”

The commission found glaring illegality in the selection of ‘Santhi’. The selection was not transparent. There were no competent and qualified persons in the board which selected them. Kantararu Mohanaru who acted as subject expert was not aware of ‘Vedas.’ He had not studied Sanskrit and had no knowledge at all in Sanskrit, it said.

The Commission said: “We have doubts whether he has proper knowledge in pooja vidhies.” Mere recitation of slokas can be done by learning the same in vernacular or English script, which is done by a few, by just reading the books in modern days. So mere recitation of slokas is not and cannot be equated with knowledge in Sanskrit in the context. So, a proper practice of poojas or ‘pooja vidhies’ requires at least a minimal knowledge or understanding of Sanskrit without which it cannot be done in the proper, traditional prescribed or Vedic way. It is not mere recitation that is meant by “knowledge in pooja”. It is something more.”

The Commission observed that the entire selection was nothing but a farce. It also found that the interview and selection of panchavadyam artists “was not done fairly or up to rational standard.” The commission held that the selection of watcher was improper and illegal.

The Commission was not able to ascertain whether bribe was accepted by the former president and members of the Board for appointment to the post of executive officers and administrative officers. However, it stated that “there is great cloud and doubt is cast on the integrity and honesty” of the former president and members in the appointment. It also found that no discipline or proper norms were observed in the construction of buildings by the board. In the widening and maintenance of the Chalakkayam-Pampa road , the board had acted in “a most imprudent manner.” The board never attempted to inform itself about the intricacies involved in the construction, leading to rather heavy and disproportionate cost of Rs.6 crore and 10 lakhs for widening the road.

The Commission noted that the contract for supplying jaggery awarded to the Puttur Co-operative Super Bazaar was “shrouded in mystery.” There was mismanagement and maladministration in the deal. The Board acted in “a most unsatisfactory and negligent manner,” resulting in misconduct and mismanagement in the matter of auction of the right to collect coconuts at Sabarimala. There was no evidence to prove the allegation that crores of rupees were deposited in Lord Krishna Bank and the Union Bank of India for securing employment in the banks for close relatives of the board members.

The commission said it was shocked to note that the board, a public authority, promoted a person (P.K Mohan Kumar, personal assistant to the former member M. B. Sreekumar) who was bold enough to commit forgery and produced a false certificate for securing the post of Deputy Devaswom Commissioner.

As for the conduct of the Devaprasnam at Sabarimala, the Commission said it was “an unauthorised one and unnecessary at the time it was conducted.” The Commission found that “it was a very unfortunate step the board had taken probably with a view to hoodwink the worshipping public”.

The Commission has made various recommendations for revamping the administration of the Board and its temples, which included constitution of a high power recruitment board for appointment to various posts, appointment of chartered accountants in the rank of Additional Secretary, setting up a mechanism to oversee the work of Santhies and Melsanthies, preparation of a project report for each construction work and constituting a statutory committee in each temple for their effective administration.

The Commission recommended that 10 years experience as Sathi/Melsanthi be prescribed for candidates for the selection of Melsanathi in Sabarimala. It should also be prescribed that candidates who had undergone a course of study in a recognized ‘Thanthra Vidhyalaya’ and obtained ‘Thanthrarathnam’ degree should be given preference. Besides, he should be a person of great integrity and moral character. The birth right should not be the sole criteria for appointment to the post of Tantris. It was necessary that Tantris should be given training in “Thanthra Vidya” wherever found necessary.

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