TDBs centralised counting starts on a sour note

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Amidst protests by devotees and some Hindu organisations, the much-touted centralised counting of donations in the temples of the Travancore Devaswom Board was formally launched by Board president M Rajagopalan Nair at the Sadyalayam of Sreekanteswaram temple here on Monday.  A large group of devotees who assembled before the Sadyalayam protested against the conversion of the Sadyalayam as a counting centre. Later, Rajagopalan Nair, Board members and other senior officials held discussions with the protestors. A heavy police posse was also present at the venue. During the discussions, the devotees said that the hall, if made a permanent venue for counting, would affect the annadanam in the temple. But the TDB stand was that the hall was not used for any other purpose except for a couple of days a month. Later, the protestors allowed the president to make the formal launch of the system by lighting the traditional lamp. “The issues have been settled and the counting will be held on Tuesday morning,” the TDB president later told Express. Protest Against New SystemMeanwhile, the Hindu Aikyavedi has flayed the Board’s decision to launch the new system without holding discussions with temple advisory committees or Hindu organisations. “The Board’s hasty implementation of the project is suspicious. If their intention is good why should they avoid a discussion with the devotees,” Hindu Aikyavedi taluk general secretary Sandeep Thampan said.  Refuting the allegations, Rajagopalan Nair said that the system was originally suggested by the High Court. The HC in 2009 had asked the Board to consider a centralised fool-proof mechanism for hundi counting. “The system is being implemented to check the drop in hundi collections allegedly owing to the theft by the temple staff. There were allegations that some temple employees and advisory committee members act as a nexus for the theft. We believe the protests are being raised by this nexus,” he said.   TDB Commissioner N Vasu said that the Board had made elaborate arrangements to check any malpractice during the centralised counting.  “The counting is done by the staff of Dhanlaxmi Bank under the supervision of the Deputy Commissioner. A detailed mahasar of the donations will be prepared after the counting and its copy will be sent to the temples concerned,” he said. Ten bank staff will perform the counting on Tuesday, he said.