Ex-CM flays govt for ‘VIP darshan’ fee at Chintpurni
UNA, AUGUST 9
Former Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur today deplored the decision of the Congress government to charge money from devotees coming for ‘darshan’ at the Mata Chintpurni temple in Una district.
Never been a tradition in state: Thakur
- The Temple Trust had begun charging Rs 1,100 in the name of VIP ‘darshans’, which, ex-CM Jai Ram Thakur said, was unfortunate and inappropriate .
- Jai Ram Thakur said charging money from devotees had never been a tradition in the state.
In a press release issued here today, Thakur said the Temple Trust had begun charging Rs 1,100 in the name of VIP ‘darshans’, which was unfortunate and inappropriate.
Charging money from devotees had never been a tradition in the state, he said adding that the BJP was against any VIP culture and would oppose any attempts to create levels in the society. He charged that the Congress party had been promoting VIP culture.
SDM Amb Vivek Mahajan, who is also the Assistant Commissioner of the Chintpurni Temple Trust, said in its last meeting, the Temple Trust had resolved to start ‘Sugam Darshan Pranali’ in three layers which has wrongly been interpreted as VIP ‘darshan’ system. Mahajan said in the first tier of ‘Sugam Darshan’, anybody can book a ticket for ‘darshans’ at a fee of Rs 1,100. Five persons are allowed per ticket and they are provided access to the waiting lounge. From here, they are provided a golf cart service which takes them to the lift below the shrine which is at a distance of about 900 meters from the waiting lounge. The ‘Sugam Darshan’ devotees are taken through the lift direct to the shrine. They are also given a ‘chunari’ blessed by the deity, followed by which they have the option of partaking meals at the temple ‘bhandara’.
In the second tier, specially abled devotees with one attendant, are allowed the same facilities with a fee of Rs 50 being charged for the attendant. In the third tier, senior citizens above 65 years, without an attendant, can utilise the Sugam Darshan facility free of cost, said Mahajan.
