CONG LAUNCHES PROTEST, DEMANDS REVIEW PETITION

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: THE Congress on Friday launched a protest demanding the filing of a review petition against the Supreme Court verdict permitting women of all ages to enter the Sabarimala temple. The protest comes close on the heels of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) launching agitations, criticising the LDF government for not filing a review petition against the verdict.

Inaugurating the Congress’ protest at Pathnamthitta, Leader of Opposition in the state assembly Ramesh Chennithala alleged that the RSS-BJP and the state were ‘cheating’ Hindus. Sabarimala should not be made into a “war zone”, said Chennithala. He said the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) had initiated “hasty” steps to implement the apex court’s order. “There are many other court orders which are yet to be implemented,” he said.

Meanwhile, Communist Party of India (Marxist) state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said the party would not take any special initiative to take people to the Lord Ayyappa temple.

Those who wish to go there can go, he said in an article in ‘Deshabhimani’, the party mouthpiece.

Kodiyeri also termed as “nonsense” the BJP’S charge that CPI(M) was trying to “suppress” the faith of the believers. DGP Loknath Behara has written to his counterparts in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Puducherry, seeking police personnel.