‘CM’s adamancy reason behind Sabarimala row’
CHANGANASSERY (KOTTAYAM):
Nair Service Society, a social and cultural organisation of Kerala’s powerful Nair community, is publicly espousing a cause — in favour of status quo at the Sabarimala temple — for the first time since it spearheaded the ‘liberation struggle’ that led to the sacking in 1959 of the world’s first democratically elected Communist government, led by
EMS Namboodiripad.
Sabarimala has been on the edge since the Supreme Court in September ruled that women of all ages should be allowed to worship at the temple , which has traditionally barred women of reproductive age on grounds that its presiding deity, Lord Ayyappa, is celibate.
In an interview to Hindustan Times,
It seems he (CM Pinarayi Vijayan has a singlepoint agenda to take women to Sabarimala (temple) at any cost
NSS general secretary G Sukumaran
Nair spoke about the issue and why his organisation wants status quo at the shrine. Edited excerpts:
Sabarimala now looks like a battlefield. Who is responsible for this?
Adamant posture of the chief minister, Pinarayi Vijayan, is responsible for this. It seems he has a singlepoint agenda, take women to Sabarimala at any cost. If he thinks he can become a leader of a renaissance movement by hurting the sentiments of lakhs of poor devotees, he is mistaken. Communists are usually non-believers and how can they flout customs of an ageold temple, citing a verdict.
If the government or Travancore Devasom Board (that administers the temple) should have given a review petition, things should not have come to such a pass. Sad, his government is still provoking devotees. We are not against the court or women, we respect both. But at the same time we have to protect believers’ sentiments also. G SUKUMARAN NAIR, NSS General Secretary
How did the NSS come to the forefront all of a sudden?
You are mistaken. Since the case came up before the Supreme Court in 2006, we have been there. We filed a petition and became a party in 2018 in the case filed by the Young Lawyers’ Association. Our stand was consistent from day one. We maintain political neutrality and a position of equidistance. We are not after any vote bank politics. Sabarimala is a soul of our belief -our custom and our core value. We have been taking a consistent position since the case camp up, unlike governments that ruled the state during this period. We will stick to it.
Communist Party of India (Marxist) leaders say the NSS is coming closer to saffron forces. Party state secretary Kodiyeri Balakirshnan said recently that all ‘kara yogams’ (units of NSS) will turn Rastriya Swayamsevak Sangh shakhas soon.
It is nothing but sheer ignorance. Those who know about NSS won’t say this. We have taken up a stand long back and still holding onto it. We don’t need the certificate of Communist leaders. It is better for them to understand that the ground is slipping from under their feet fast.
Many in the party are quite upset with the present turn of things but they fear to open up. We don’t need a Communist prescription for our survival. An autocrat will remain an autocrat forever.
The hill temple is on the edge. How does one end the impasse?
A conciliatory approach has been missing since the beginning. The government took all opportunities to provoke devotees. Cases were slapped on aged women who took out peaceful nama japa (chanting of hymns) rallies. NSS workers took out only peaceful rallies. If the state government needs, it can end the protest peacefully. Instead of provoking them it should engage devotees and find a peaceful solution in consultation with the Centre.
The situation now reminds us of the Emergency. We want Sabarimala back to its glory. By trampling believers you can’t become an icon of renaissance overnight. We will remain with devotees forever.