Attack on ashram of man who hailed order
SABARIMALA ROW CPI(M) sees RSS hand; BJP cries conspiracy
THIRUVANANTHPURAM: Amid the standoff between the state government and Sabarimala protestors, the ashram of Swami Sandeepanada Giri, director of School of Bhagavad Gita, was attacked by unidentified men in the early hours of Saturday, police said. Giri’s ashram is on the outskirts of the state capital.
In the attack, two cars and a scooter parked on ashram premises were gutted, police added. Giri, who supported the recent apex court verdict on Sabarimala allowing women of menstrual age to worship at the temple, was critical of the Sangh Parivar, tantri (chief priest) and the erstwhile Pandalam royal family saying they were trying to impose a “Brahminical domination.”
Giri was at the ashram when the attack took place. He blamed the Sangh Parivar and tantri family for the attack.
“You can’t silence a sadhu by such criminal activities. I really suspect the Sangh Parivar and others who are worried about my stance on certain issues including Sabarimala did this. Killer of Mahatma Gandhi are now preaching brotherhood and peace,” he said.
Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and most his cabinet ministers visited the ashram and condemned the attack. “All dissenting opinions will be taken on by ideological debates. When they fail in debates aggrieved resort to such dirty tricks.
The government won’t allow anyone to take law in their hands,” said the CM.
“Swami Sandeepananda Giri champions the values of secularism and has been a strong critic against attempts to politicise religious spaces. Our society must rise against such attacks,” Vijayan said.
“Differing opinions and dissenting voices should be met ideologically. When they fail to do so, it results in physical assaults,” he added.
Alleging that Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) was behind the attack, CPI(M) state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said it showed that the Sangh would go to any lengths to ‘silence’ secular voices.
Director general of police Loknath Behra said a special investigation team was constituted under Thiruvananthapuram police commissioner B K Prakash.
“We will not tolerate such incidents in the state,” Behra said. He said police have some clues and will crack the case soon.
But the Bharatiya Janata Party distanced from the incident saying it was a conspiracy hatched to divert attention from party president Amit Shah’s visit. “We suspect a foul play. All CCTVs in the ashram were switched off and the security was sent on leave,” said BJP leader PK Krishnadas.
The state had witnessed massive protests from devotees at various places, including Sabarimala, Nilakkal and Pamba, against the SC verdict, when it was opened on October 17.
GIRI, WHO SUPPORTED THE RECENT APEX COURT VERDICT ON SABARIMALA, WAS CRITICAL OF THE SANGH PARIVAR, CHIEF PRIEST AND THE PANDALAM ROYAL FAMILY