CM slams RSS, says will not allow trouble
SABARIMALA Cong to intensify stir; BJP hits out at Vijayan’s govt
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Congress activists marched on the Sabarimala temple base camp for devotess on Tuesday in defiance of an order banning public assemblies in the vicinity, as the party fretted that Sangh Parivar groups could take over the agitation against the entry of women of menstruating age into the hilltop shrine.
Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan vowed, meanwhile, that his Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led government would not allow the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), ideological mentor of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party at the Centre, to create another Ayodhya in Kerala.
Fearing Hindu consolidation and a dent in its upper caste vote base, the Congress has decided to intensify its agitation on Sabarimala despite party president Rahul Gandhi’s initial reservations.
The Congress’ central leaders had welcomed the September 28 verdict of the apex court allowing women of all ages to worship at the temple, but state leaders flew to New Delhi to convince them of the need for the party to join the anti-verdict campaign.
In an attempt to thwart the Congress assembly near Sabarimala on Tuesday, the authorities n clamped Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code, which prohibits the assembly of more than four persons in an area.
“How can the government impose Section 144 on devotees? ...The government is in a race to make the pilgrimage miserable,” said former Kerala chief minister and All India Congress Committee, general secretary Oommen Chandy, inaugurating the rally led by opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala.
At the Nilakkal base camp, the Congress activists were blocked by the police but party leaders expressed their willingness to court arrest. The police allowed them to proceed to the Pamba. The party called off the plan to trek to the temple, saying they didn’t want to trouble the pilgrims. The stance of the Nair Ser- vice Society (NSS), a socio-cultural body of upper caste Nairs has worried Congress. NSS keeps an equidistance from political parties and movements, but is now at the forefront of the agitation with other Hindu groups.
BJP national president Amit Shah took to Twitter to lash out at the Pinarayi Vijayan government. In a series of tweets, Shah said “The way Pinarayi Vijayan’s government is handling the sensitive issue of Sabarimala is disappointing...we won’t let LDF Left Democratic Front) crush people’s faith with impunity...”
Despite criticism by opposition, Vijayan said the state administration would not go back on its stance. “BJP ministers and leaders are queuing up before Sabarimala to exploit the issue. But the govt will not allow anyone to fan trouble at the temple,” he said, adding that he will not allow the RSS to turn the temple into another Ayodhya.
The CM justified the arrest of 69 protestors on Sunday, saying police intervention helped ease the situation at the temple. “Sabarimala is being used for political gains by the RSS and the Congress has also fallen in its game plan, ” he said.
According to the Travancore Dewasom Board, there has been a 70% dip in pilgrims flow and revenue in the first five days.