In an interview, Jayakumar stated that the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) has fundamental structural problems and needs to become more professional. He suggests that the TDB should improve its systems, staff training, and use information technology to reduce manual interventions, which he believes are the “loopholes” that need to be plugged.
Regarding the controversy, which was linked to sponsorship issues, Jayakumar noted that while sponsorship is good, the way the TDB handles it is “amorphous” (lacking clear form). He recommends establishing an objective and professional system with fixed terms and a dedicated officer to manage sponsorships. He believes that the lack of such a system is the reason for the rise of middlemen.
He also pointed out that temples cannot be run like government offices and that the board must have better machinery to handle devotees, who are often “impulsive and emotional.” He calls for modernizing the TDB’s administration through process re-engineering and better general administrative standards, hoping the current crisis will be an opportunity for change.
Finally, he addressed the widespread political campaign claiming that the government siphons off money from Sabarimala. Jayakumar dismissed these claims as “entirely baseless and malicious misinformation” aimed at polarization. He explained that the government does not take a single paisa from the TDB, and the board cannot withdraw its fixed deposits without court permission, reinforcing the fact that the state’s role is limited to appointing board members as per the original covenant. (with input from TNIE)
For more details: Navamalayalam.com
