Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 18 (NationPress) Prominent Congress figures KC Venugopal, Ramesh Chennithala, and former Kerala BJP chief K. Surendran have criticized the government led by Pinarayi Vijayan for what they termed as a “serious administrative failure” at Sabarimala, occurring just days before the annual Mandala season.

The Congress members contended that the government and the Travancore Devaswom Board were overly focused on protecting individuals linked to a gold smuggling scandal, which resulted in inadequate preparations for the pilgrimage. Consequently, this oversight has caused significant disruption and difficulties for countless Ayyappa devotees.

AICC General Secretary Venugopal remarked that the current “alarming situation,” acknowledged by K. Jayakumar, President of the Devaswom Board, is a direct result of governmental negligence and poor management.

He criticized the administration for not deploying sufficient police forces, crowd management strategies, medical assistance, drinking water, sanitation, and transport services.

Instead, he claimed, the authorities prioritized political damage control and “concealing the gold heist.”

Chennithala echoed these concerns, stating that the government's systems had entirely broken down within just 24 hours of the pilgrimage season’s commencement.

“Thousands of devotees had to endure waits of 15 to 20 hours, with many leaving without a darshan due to overcrowding and a lack of basic facilities,”

he stated. He noted that despite over 100,000 reservations made through the virtual queue system, crowd management provisions were grossly insufficient.

Additionally, he mentioned that central security forces, typically present in Sabarimala, were absent this year.

According to Chennithala, during the two terms of Pinarayi Vijayan’s administration, Sabarimala has never experienced a peaceful pilgrimage.

“Initially, they compromised the shrine’s sanctity through the women’s entry controversy, then through the gold theft. Now, sheer administrative negligence has endangered pilgrims once again,”

he noted.

Both Congress leaders have called for an immediate intervention from the High Court, proposing the formation of an expert panel to oversee temple management.

They also appealed for the Chief Minister’s direct involvement to safeguard the safety, dignity, and spiritual rights of millions of Ayyappa devotees.

“The Communist regime has plunged Sabarimala into despair. Devotees, including children, are waiting for hours in endless lines without water or essential facilities such as toilets. The government had ample time yet opted for neglect over planning. This constitutes a clear violation of human rights and suggests a deliberate attempt to sabotage the sacred pilgrimage,”

Surendran remarked.

In contrast, the newly appointed TDB President Jayakumar, following discussions with senior police officials, expressed commitment to enhancing the experience for pilgrims through improved coordination, infrastructure upgrades, and better crowd management.

“We have intensified measures to ensure that pilgrims arriving at Pampa can enjoy a smoother and quicker darshan without extensive waiting times. The flow of crowds will be regulated from Nilakkal to alleviate congestion. Twenty queue complexes are now operational between Marakuttam and Saramkuthi, each capable of accommodating 500 to 600 pilgrims simultaneously. These complexes are designed to provide rest areas as well as essential amenities like food and water,”

Jayakumar stated.