In a meeting convened with Sabarimala tantri and Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), it has been decided to not re-open Sabarimala temple for the public for monthly pooja and to cancel temple festival, Kerala Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran informed on Thursday.
The decision was taken considering the views of Sabarimala tantri, who raised concerns over re-opening of the temple in a letter on the backdrop of COVID-19 situation prevailing in the country.
"Tantri has asked the government to reconsider the decision to open Sabarimala temple for the public. He had also written a letter regarding this, in which it was pointed out that many devotees from states with high COVID-19 cases could visit the temple. If so it will affect the health of all devotees. And we cannot ask them to not come," he said.
On allegations made by the Opposition regarding the reopening of the temple, Devasom Minister said that both Congress and BJP were constantly demanding that places of worships be re-opened.
"They even alleged that the Kerala government was not committed to open temples. The opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala also had demanded to open the places of worship following all guidelines. It is in this backdrop that Kerala government decided to open all places of worship in consultation with all religious leaders including Tantri when it came to Sabarimala," he added.
Sabarimala Tantri Kandararu Maheswararu Mohanararu clarified that he had written a letter requesting the government to reconsider the decision to open Sabarimala, taking in view the increasing number of COVID-19 cases.
"If any COVID-19 positive person visits the temple, all priests would have to go into quarantine, affecting the rituals and even festival at temple adversely. That's the reason I have asked for a reconsideration. There is no rift between government on the issue," he said.
Earlier, it was decided to open the Sabarimala temple for the public on June 14 for monthly pooja and to conduct temple festival from June 19, which has now been cancelled.
( With inputs from ANI )