"VIP & DONOR DARSHAN PASSES"

ABOLISHED IN SHIRDI
Raksha Shetty - CNN-IBN
10th July`2010

Mumbai: People with Influence and VIPs

will soon not get any Preferential
Treatment at Shirdi’s Sai Baba Temple,
Siddhi-Vinayak Temple or any of the
Temples that are run by the State.

The VIP visits had irked thousands of

other devotees who have to patiently wait
their turn in the long lines.
And, after receiving a string of complaints
from the public,
the Maharashtra government has decided
to abolish VIP passes that enable speedy
darshan.

Law and Judiciary Minister Radhakrishna

Vikhe-Patil on Thursday told
that a Government Resolution is in the
pipeline that will Abolish VIP and Donor
Darshan Passes,
and make it mandatory for all Devotees
at any of the 3,067 State-run Temples to
stand in a single Queue.
The list also includes Kolhapur’s
Mahalaxmi Temple and the Pandharpur
Temple.

Around 30,000 people visit Siddhivinayak

daily & the number exceeds 2.5 lakh on
Tuesdays and other important dates.
Only 10 per cent of the devotees get to
use the separate queue and get darshan
in five minutes.

“It’s not fair that people are made to wait

because they are not donors or don’t
have influence,” said Vikhe-Patil,
adding that the state will take action
against erring committees. He did not
specify what it would do.

The Minister laid the precedent on

Wednesday by announcing that no VIP
Passes will be issued
at the Vitthala Rukmini Temple in
Pandharpur, where an 18-day pilgrimage
trek will end on July 21.
Senior Citizens, Pregnant Women,
and Parents with children, however
will be given Direct Entry.
The devotees have also welcomed the
decision.For the VIPs, though, it looks like
it will be a long wait from now on.

~~ VIDEO ~~

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSzwrO7cBHU
&feature=player_embedded