Alphons furious

Indian Union Minister K.J. Alphons yesterday accused the Kerala government of turning the Sabarimala Temple complex into a “war zone” as police detained 68 people for holding protests at the shrine.

Protests were being held across Kerala against the detention of the 68, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) demanded a judicial probe into the police action.

The sanctum sanctorum of the Ayyappa Temple opened yesterday morning with very few devotees turning up early.

Police sources told journalists 68 people had been taken into preventive custody from the temple complex and brought to the Manniyar camp early yesterday morning. Their details were being verified and their arrests had not been recorded at the time. Alphons, who arrived at Nilackal, the base camp, yesterday morning, told reporters, “The state government has turned the temple complex into a war zone. The devotees are not militants, they are pilgrims.”

“What was the need to declare Section 144 at Sabarimala,” he asked.

The minister said there was lack of basic facilities at the temple complex. The union government had provided Rs1 billion (Dh51 million) for putting up various facilities at Sabarimala, he said.

Meanwhile, Hindu Aikya Vedi president, K.P. Sasikala, who was on her way to the shrine, along with her family members, in connection with the “chorunnu ceremony” (rice feeding) of her grandsons, was served notice by Superintendent of Police Yatish Chandra at Nilackal, asking her not to remain at the ‘sannidhanam’ beyond six hours.