Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala government has taken over the Theerthapada Mandapam near the Padmanabhaswamy Temple in the state capital. The government will take over the 65 cents land from the Vidyadhi Raja Sabha.
The temple in the area will remain with the Sabha according to the order issued by the Principal Secretary today. Surprisingly, the move by the government comes before the Chief Minister is set to lay the foundation stone of the cultural complex at Theerthapada Mandapam.
The revenue officials came to take over the land which led to sudden protests from the BJP and the Hindu Aikya Vedi activists. The police broke the lock to the mandapam to enter it. Many protesters are objecting to the way police used the cover of night to take over the area.
The BJP and Hindu Aikya Vedi activists blocked the officials who came to take over the Mandapam. However the protesters were arrested and removed from the place.
The Sabha had announced that it would construct a memorial statue of Chattambi Swami on that land.
