The district administration has come under flak for preferential treatment to VIPs with police security and State protocol, in permitting them to visit Chamundi Hills on Fridays and weekends during Ashada.
The Chamundeshwari temple atop the hills attracts thousands of devotees during Ashada Shukravara but the authorities have banned their entry in a bid to curb the surge in COVID-19. However, exceptions have been made some of which are imperative like the movement of local people living atop the hills and entry of vehicles on emergency duty such as fire services and ambulances.
But what has perturbed the general public is that VIPs enjoying State protocol (mainly politicians) have been exempted from the ban. Revenue Minister K.S. Eshwarappa visited Chamundeshwari temple on Friday and was accompanied by a slew of vehicles which were deployed on protocol duty. A large posse of policemen had blocked all the roads including the steps leading to Chamundi Hills to prevent the entry of the general public.
While officials were tightlipped other sources said exemptions were introduced in the ban orders to sidestep and avoid a situation which arose as a fallout of the visit to Nanjangud temple by the Chief Minister’s son B.Y.Vijayendra during the lockdown. The High Court had pulled up the State government on the issue.
The district administration has barred the entry of devotees on all Fridays starting from July 9 to August 6, on all weekends during the period and again on August h so as to avoid congregation of masses.
