Coming under attack from opposition parties, including the Congress and the BJP over the government’s alleged failure in managing the sudden surge of pilgrims in Sabarimala, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday said the situation at Lord Ayyappa shrine in Sabarimala was under control and asserted the government machinery was intervening diligently in temple matters.
Stating that the hill shrine generally witnesses heavy rush during the Mandalam-Makaravilakku season, which began from November 17 this year, CM Vijayan affirmed, “There is no uncontrollable situation in Sabarimala. Everything is under control in Sabarimala. The government has handled the whole situation with the utmost seriousness and we will move forward similarly.”
The Chief Minister said that many pilgrims from nearby states like Tamil Nadu and Telangana could not come early due to floods in Chennai and assembly elections in Telangana. Now pilgrims have started coming from these states, which has resulted in a sudden increase in footfall, the CM said, adding that the visiting time has been increased by one hour to accommodate the influx.
“In the first days of the last Mandala season, the average number of pilgrims was 62,000 (per day) but it increased to 88,000 (per day) in the 4 days from December 6,” CM Vijayan said.
Earlier, meetings were held to chalk out measures to ensure a hassle-free darshan. The decisions taken in those meetings will be strictly implemented. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan also stressed the need for special attention to be arranged for women and child pilgrims.
Meanwhile, addressing the mismanagement concerns, Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan acknowledged the challenges posed by the heavy rush during the main season, extending until January 15.
