CHENNAI: BJP senior and former Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan who slammed the Kancheepuram district administration for "insufficient" arrangements leading to the death of four devotees on Friday, has called upon the State government to take the expert guidance of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) in managing unprecedented crowd for the Athi Varadar Vaibhavam.
Averring that the present arrangement at the Sri Devaraja Swamy temple in Kancheepuram, for providing darshan of Athi Varadar had only caused undue hardship to the devotees who were turning up in large numbers to have a glimpse of the Lord, he said the TTD’s expertise could be outsourced for effective management of devotees and also in providing adequate amenities for the devotees. Food should be provided to the devotees who are kept waiting for long hours for the darshan of the Lord, he added.
Earlier, the Union Minister who launched his party’s membership enrollment campaign in Madurai, lashed out at the Kancheepuram district administration for asking the devotees not to visit Athi Varadar. “The Athi Varadar Vaibhavam happens once in 40 years. It is the duty of the administration to ensure hassle-free darshan to the devotees” he said and sought to know who authorised the official to make such an appeal.
