Sabari ‘ golden opportunity’, says BJP leader

IF YOU HAVE seen the BJP’s behaviour in terms of violence they have conducted in a goonish manner and intimidation of people in Sabarimala, has been utterly disgraceful. — SHASHI THAROOR, Congress leader

BJP Kerala unit chief P. S. Sreedharan Pillai courted controversy on Monday as TV channels aired a video clip in which he purportedly said that the Sabarimala agitations were “planned and orchestrated” by the saffron party as part of its “agenda” and it was a “golden opportunity”. He also had said that Tantri Kandararu Rajeevaru ( head priest) of the Lord Ayyappa temple had sought his opinion on closing the sanctum sanctorum to prevent women of menstrual age from entering the shrine when it opened kicking up a row.

However, head priest Tantri Kandararu Rajeevaru said that he had only consulted senior Tantri Kandararu Mohanararu on the matter.

On Wednesday during the second day of Chithira atta tirunal frenzied crowds nearly lynched a women devotee, suspecting her to be young. A diffident police left it to RSS strongman from Kannur, Valsan Thillenkery, to restore peace at the shrine. Mr Thillenkery’s back- to- the- deity posture as he tried to rein the agitators, many of them his own cadre, triggered a controversy as he was found at the 18 holy steps without the customary “irumudikettu”.

The Kerala High Court has also came down on the recent agitation at the hill shrine. Justice Sunil Thomas termed the violence as “unjustifiable” and agreed with the state’s contention that the protests and violence at the hill shrine and its key entry points were against the apex court directives.