Hindu Aikya Vedi leader KP Sasikala climbs up the 18 sacred steps to offer prayers at Lord Ayyappa Temple in Sabarimala. The leader, who is out on bail, was earlier arrested from near the temple over alleged attempts to foment trouble. (Image: PTI)
Kochi, November 19 (IANS) With the BJP-RSS going hammer and tongs at the Pinarayi Vijayan government over the way the police is handling the Sabarimala pilgrimage season, the Congress-led United Democratic Front has decided to intensify its protest.
It demanded that the Chief Minister give up the Home portfolio.
The Sabarimala temple opened its doors at 5 p.m. on November 17 for two months.
The temple town has witnessed protests by Hindu groups since September 28 when the Supreme Court allowed women of all ages to enter the temple that had banned menstruating females aged between 10 and 50.
The apex court on November 13 refused to stay that verdict and made it clear on Monday that they would not reconsider this decision as the case has been posted to be heard on January 22.
While the Kerala government is trying hard to see that the apex court verdict is implemented, the opposition parties are up in arms against violation of the temple tradition.
On Sunday night, the police arrested 72 pilgrims after they refused to leave the temple premises as they were singing Lord Ayyappa hymns well beyond the scheduled closure of the temple at 10 p.m.
The UDF meeting decided to first send a team led by former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, who will reach the temple town on Tuesday to assess the situation there.
Speaking to reporters here, leader of opposition Ramesh Chennithala said that they will be forced to violate the prohibitory orders that are now in force in and around the temple town.
"The prohibitory orders should be withdrawn immediately as there is no need for it. Vijayan has made a complete mess of the Sabarimala pilgrimage season as the police is creating havoc and has turned the temple town into a terror zone. Vijayan has lost control and he should demit the Home portfolio," said Chennithala.
The statement of Chennithala came after the Kerala High Court, while hearing a batch of petitions, came down heavily on the Kerala police for their unruly behaviour against the pilgrims.
However, the court also pointed out that some of those who have come with the petition are also partly responsible for turning the temple town into a battleground.
The court advised political parties, police and the state government to work together to restore the temple town into a friendly pilgrimage place.
In a related development, three young women had to face the ire of protesters in front of the Press Club here when word spread that these women wished to go for Sabarimala darshan.
The women informed the media that they had wanted to go for a darshan and had undertaken the required penance for it, but had abandoned their plans for the moment due to tension prevailing in the temple town.
More than a hundred people, including a large number of women, had gathered in front of the Press Club, singing Lord Ayyappa hymns and protesting against the three women.
The police came to their rescue, forming a ring around them and helping them leave the venue safely.
State Minister for Devasom (Temples) Kadakampally Surendran said that the government will make all the arrangements for the three women if they wished to reach the temple town to worship Lord Ayyappa.
The Chief Minister reiterated the stand of the government and said that they will abide by the apex court's verdict.
"When the Kerala High Court ruled that all women cannot be given entry to the Sabarimala temple, the state government abided by that and today the apex court has ruled otherwise and the state government will abide by it. Those who are creating trouble at Sabarimala are not pilgrims," said Vijayan.
72 Sabarimala pilgrims arrested
Sabarimala, November 19 (IANS) Over 70 pilgrims have been arrested since late last night from Sabarimala temple after they failed to comply to prohibitory orders leading to protests here and across Kerala, police said on Monday.
While angry Hindu acitivists took to streets, raised slogans and held prayer sessions in front of police stations across the state, Union Minister K.J. Alphons criticised the state government for the action.
As news spread about the arrests, in Thiruvanathapuram protesters assembled near Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's residence and shouted slogans.
The situation grew tense late Sunday, when over 200 pilgrims did not vacate the temple premise after 10 p.m., as ordered by the state administration and stayed put, singing Lord Ayyappa hymns and chants.
As they continued despite repeated requests from the police, action was initiated to forcefully evict the premise. This led to 72 arrests in a post-midnight action.
They were taken to the Maniar Police Camp in Pathanamthitta district and were to be produced before a court later Monday, Superintendent of Police Prathish Kumar said.
Alphons on Monday reacted sharply to the arrests, and told the media in Nilackal, before heading to the shrine: "I fail to understand why the Kerala Police has clamped prohibitory orders. This is not the way things should be handled. Sabarimala pilgrims are not extremists. You cannot use force in this place."
Kerala Minister for Devasoms (Temples) Kadakampally Surendran reacting sharply to the allegations said it was not pilgrims but Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) goons who had taken over the Lord Ayyappa shrine and backed the action.
"Unlike he (Alphons) who was a senior IAS officer, who later became a legislator with us and then moved on to greener pastures, am only a simple political activist. But he should not have said things without knowing facts," Surendran said.
Alphons who was headed to the hill temple said that he would inspect how the state has utilised the Rs 100 crore-relef fund from the Centre. "I will go around the temple town to make sure how the funds have been used."
Surendran said: "It's true that the Centre has sanctioned Rs 100 crore for various projects in Sabarimala and the deadline for implementing it ends in July 2019.
"Moreover the unprecedented floods saw close to Rs 19 crore of work in progress in projects getting washed away in September.
"What happened in the temple premises last night was a takeover by the RSS goons. The police pleaded with them to return as it's against the law to remain there. It was only after they refused to move, did the police act."
After going around the place he said the state government has failed miserably in setting up the basic infrastructure.
" Toilets are Aplaced five feet above the ground and it appears one needs a lift to go to the toilet," said Alphons.
State BJP president P.S. Sreedharan Pillai told the media that a judicial probe has to be conducted to what happened last night at Sabarimala, as this is the first time in the history of the temple that there has been police action against pilgrims.
Leader of opposition Ramesh Chennithala told the media that it's most unfortunate that pilgrims are held in police custody and the state government should release them at the earliest.
Medical check up is being done on the 72 arrested people at the Maniar Police Camp in Pathanamthitta district and Aafter it's over they will be produced before a court, near here.
Superintendent of Police Prathish Kumar told the media the arrests were made as protesters even after being informed to disperse once the temple closed at 10 p.m, did not move out.
Forces of the sangh parivar has announced to hold protests on Monday across the state. Security has been heightened for Vijayan, who has official engagements in Kozhikode.
The Sabarimala temple opened its doors at 5 p.m. on November 17 for two months.
The temple town has witnessed protests by Hindu groups since the September 28 when the Supreme Court allowed women of all ages to enter the temple that hitherto banned girls and women aged between 10 and 50.
The apex court on November 13 refused to stay that verdict.
While the Kerala government is trying hard to see that the apex court verdict is implemented, the BJP/RSS, sangh parivar forces and the Congress-led UDF are up in arms against violation of the temple tradition.
