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| ‘Fee for darshan done away with’, Shrine Board still charging Rs 1000 for Atka Arti | | | Early Times Reporter
Jammu | June 19
Despite receiving brickbats from almost all quarters over its decision to introduce tatkal darshan system it seems Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine board authorities are not willing to learn lessons in time.
Days after chairman of the Shrine Board Governor SK Sinha made an announcement that all forms of priorities would be scrapped and there will be no jumping of queue to perform the darshan inside the holy shrine the pilgrims attending Atka Arti have alleged that they have been asked to shell out Rs 1000 by the board authorities.
At present at least 100 pilgrims attend Atka Arti during morning and evening prayers and out of 100 seats the shrine board authorities have kept 30 seats each for sale.
"Though the tatkal darshan system has been scrapped but we are allowing 70 pilgrims to attend Atka arti on first come first serve basis and for remaining 30 seats we are issuing tokens at Rs 1000 per head to attend the Atka Arti, one of the senior offiical of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board confirmed.
The decision of the shrine board to introduce priority darshan at a cost was condemned by various social and religious organisations forcing the chairman to set up a three member committee to suggest solutions. Recently while announcing the decision to scrap the tatkal darshan system Governor has himself made it clear that the shrine board authorities were looking at ways to accomodate demand for priority adding that tatkal darshan system was introduced on experimental basis and has been scrapped keeping in view the sentiments of the pilgrims and other organisations who have raised voices against the board and even charged it with commercialising the yatra.
It may be mentioned that since June 1 the shrine baord had introduced the tatkal darshan system and after over two weeks the same was discontinued but a section of vvip's including politicians, celebrities,senior bureaucrats, officials of the shrine board , senior security men continue to enjoy the hospitality of the shrine board and easy access to the holy cave from back door. Radhey Sham Arora, a pilgrim from Ludhiana on Tuesday reached Katra along with his family and started trek to the bhawan same evening.On wednesday when he reached Bhawan shrine he asked the board officials if there is any scope where he can be accomodated as he wanted to attend t he Atka arti.During inquiry he was informed by the shrine board officials that if he wishes so he can be accoodated but he will have to shell out Rs 1000 per head.Stunned,Arora decided against sitting in the Atka arti and performed routine darshan. |
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