‘Darshan scam’ rocks Srisailam temple in AP

KURNOOL/VIJAYAWADA : After allegations of a scam in laddu manufacturing by the Srisailam trust board chairman Reddivari Chakrapani Reddy surfaced, another controversy shook the temple administration. An audio clip purportedly of a board member was making rounds, where she was heard asking her assistant to collect money from people on the name of Abhishekam and Sparsa Darshanam and provide them protocol darshan.

In the audio clip, the woman member was heard talking to a temple employee to get her unauthorised abhishekam tickets for generating monthly income as salary. The temple charges an amount Rs 100 to Rs 1,01,116 for providing various sevas, including abhishekam, kumkumarchana, kalyanotsavam, rudra homam, bhilwarchana, mruthyunjaya homam, etc. Since maximum number of devotees participate in Abhishekam, it is charged Rs 5,000. While nearly 25,000 devotees visit the temple on regular days, over 60,000 throng the shrine during the weekends and festivals.

In the audio clip, the woman member, said to be Padmaja from Kadapa district, is heard asking the staff to collect money for various sevas but provide the same under protocol.

Minister assures stringent action
Responding to it, deputy chief minister and minister for Endowments Kottu Satyanarayana said that stringent action would be initiated against the trust board member if found guilty. “Instructions were given to endowments commissioner to probe into the call recording,” he added.

Addressing media on Saturday, Satyanarayana reiterated that causing loss to temple exchequer by selling darshanam tickets and abhishekam tickets will be treated sternly and opined that voice in the alleged leaked phone recording belongs to board member Padmaja. “An inquiry committee was formed to ascertain the facts and action would be taken accordingly,” said the minister. Just a few days back, the Srisailam trust board chairman made open remarks on the scam in the manufacturing of laddu. He alleged that a scam of `1 crore in purchase of essentials meant for laddus.