Thiruvananthapuram, Sept 13 Differences have emerged between TDB president K Jayakumar and Devaswom Minister K Muraleedharan over serving Onam sadya to devotees at Sabarimala, with the former on Thursday saying the traditional spread was served while the minister claimed that devotees were instead given pulao.
“Describing this as an incident where a major failure occurred is contrary to truth; I can say that with full authority. Many people have misled many. He has received an incorrect report. We can explain the details about what happened.
Travancore Devaswom Board president Jayakumar has denied the reports, saying sadya was served to around 3,000 people.
Other than that, I don’t feel any failure has occurred,” he said. Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Jayakumar said it was incorrect to describe the incident as a major failure.
“But why didn’t the police conduct the sadya? The Melshanthi did not show interest. “Moreover, why break a tradition that has been followed for years?
Because we cannot force them; they conduct it voluntarily.
Jayakumar said the police did not conduct the sadya as they usually did it voluntarily. It is under those circumstances that we took it up,” he said. When reporters pointed out Jayakumar’s statement to Muraleedharan, the minister said several people had brought the matter to his attention along with photographs. The Devaswom Board can make claims, but that wasn’t how it was done,” he said.
