Kerala BJP to oppose increase in Sabarimala virtual queue booking fee

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala BJP will oppose the proposed increase in the Sabarimala virtual queue booking fee from Rs 5 to Rs 10 and fight the move through legal and organisational means, party state general secretary Anoop Antony said on Thursday.

With the annual two-month long pilgrimage season beginning next month, Antony said the increase would place an additional financial burden on devotees visiting the hill shrine.

He alleged that the Travancore Devaswom Board was trying to collect more money from pilgrims in the name of providing free toilet facilities.

Virtual queue booking was initially free, but the board later introduced a Rs 5 fee.

The proposed increase to Rs 10 was unacceptable, particularly as many pilgrims visit Sabarimala with their families or in large groups, Antony said.

He questioned why devotees should pay more when basic facilities at the shrine remained inadequate.

Even toilets for which pilgrims pay were often poorly maintained and lacked water, he alleged.

The condition of toilet facilities had caused hardship to devotees during successive pilgrimage seasons.

“On what basis can the board promise free toilets when even its paid facilities are not properly maintained?” Antony asked.

He said the board should focus on providing better facilities instead of repeatedly increasing charges on pilgrims.

The proposed hike could also set a precedent for further increases in the future, he warned.

Antony also referred to the controversies surrounding the alleged theft of gold and other valuable articles at Sabarimala.

He accused the board of failing to protect devotees' interests while seeking to increase its income through additional charges.

The BJP leader said the board should openly admit its inability if it could not provide the facilities required by pilgrims.

“The BJP and the Union government are ready to help provide the necessary facilities free of charge. The board should first acknowledge its inability to do so,” he said.

Antony said the BJP would not allow the board to exploit the religious sentiments of devotees or impose additional financial burdens on them.

The party would challenge the proposed fee hike legally and launch organisational protests if the board proceeded with the decision, he warned.

The BJP would stand with Sabarimala devotees and fight to protect their rights, Antony added.

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