THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Akhila Bharatha Ayyappa Seva Sangham (ABASS) has filed a petition in the Supreme Court regarding the denial of permission to donate food at Sabarimala. In 2017, the High Court granted permission to the organization to carry out food donation activities in Sannidhanam and Pampa, where food donations had been a longstanding tradition by Akhila Bharatha Ayyappa Seva Sangham (ABASS).
However, last April, the High Court did not renew the permission for ABASS’s food donation activities after the organization learned that it was due to interference from the Travancore Devaswom Board.
The Board argued in court that only the Travancore Devaswom Board had the authority to oversee food donations and expressed concerns that allowing private organizations to provide food at a location with lakhs of devotees could lead to food safety issues.
Previously, the Travancore Devaswom Board had approved the participation of private organizations in food donation activities, recognizing its inability to prepare food on such a large scale. However, allegations have arisen that the denial of food donation permission to ABASS is part of an effort to exclude the Ayyappa Seva Sangham from Sannidhanam activities. There have been several complaints about the Travancore Devaswom Board, suggesting a hidden agenda aimed at asserting dominance and excluding ABASS from Sabarimala.
Simultaneously, the discontinuation of food donations by Akhila Bharatha Ayyappa Seva Sangham (ABASS) is seen as a boost to the business of several private hotels in and around Sabarimala Sannidhanam and Pamba.
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