Thiruvananthapuram: BJP has opposed the decision by Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) to double the virtual queue booking fee for Sabarimala darshan. BJP state general secretary Anoop Antony said the proposed hike from Rs 5 to Rs 10 per pilgrim was unacceptable and demanded the Board withdraw the decision.Antony alleged that the move to increase the fee in the name of providing free toilet facilities was an attempt to exploit pilgrims. He said the TDB had turned into an agency focused on finding ways to extract money from devotees.Virtual queue booking for Sabarimala darshan was initially free, but a fee of Rs 5 was introduced later. The proposed increase to Rs 10 raised concerns that the charge could be increased further in the future, Antony said.He said many pilgrims visit Sabarimala with their families or in large groups and that the fee hike would impose an additional financial burden on them. The TDB’s justification that the increase was needed to provide free toilet facilities amounted to a challenge to the pilgrim community, he alleged.Antony also criticised the condition of toilet facilities at Sabarimala, saying even paid toilets were often without water and poorly maintained. The poor state of sanitation facilities during the pilgrimage season caused hardship to devotees, he said.He questioned how the TDB’s promise to provide free toilets after increasing the virtual queue fee could be trusted.Referring to controversies over the alleged theft of valuables, including gold, at Sabarimala, Antony alleged that the TDB was failing to protect pilgrims while seeking to collect more money from them.If the board was unable to provide the required facilities, it should admit its inability, he said. BJP and Union govt were ready to ensure the provision of essential facilities for Sabarimala pilgrims free of cost, Antony added.He said BJP would oppose the proposed fee hike through legal and organisational means and would fight to protect the rights of Sabarimala pilgrims.
