Kottayam: Kerala Devaswom Minister V.N. Vasavan has defended the Global Ayyappa Sangamam after visuals of empty chairs at the event circulated on television channels and social media, calling the criticism misleading and politically motivated.
The one-day spiritual and cultural conference, held in Kottayam, recorded a turnout of 4,126 devotees and dignitaries, according to the minister. Of these, 2,125 participants came from other states such as Maharashtra, Odisha and Chhattisgarh, while 182 devotees arrived from abroad, including 39 from Sri Lanka. Another 1,119 travelled in vehicles arranged by various devaswom boards in Kerala.
Vasavan explained that the main venue, which had a capacity of 4,000, was packed during the inaugural session, with many forced to stand outside. He said the images of vacant seats were taken later, after several participants moved to attend parallel panel discussions in other halls.
“The visuals being shared are from a short interval after the inaugural function, and they are being misused to spread misleading narratives,” he said, adding that only those invited for the main session stayed there.
The minister also pointed out that no complaints were raised during the event. “The event was smooth, well-organized, and a grand success. Participation exceeded expectations, and no one who attended went back dissatisfied,” he said.
He further accused sections of the media of deliberately attempting to tarnish the image of the event, echoing CPI(M) state secretary M.V. Govindan’s remarks.
According to Vasavan, the Global Ayyappa Sangamam successfully achieved its objective of bringing together devotees from across India and abroad for a unique spiritual congregation.