The Bharatiya Janata Party and Congress on Friday attacked the Left-led government in Kerala after two women attempting to enter the Sabarimala temple in the state’s Pathanamthitta district were forced to go back by protesting devotees.
Kavitha Jakkal of Hyderabad-based Mojo TV and Rehana Fathima had to go back from within 500 metres of the temple dedicated to Lord Ayyappa after devotees protested and the chief priest threatened to shut the temple down if they entered the shrine.
Priests of the temple also sat down in protest in front of the 18 stairs that lead to the sanctum sanctorum, affecting the rituals of the 800-year-old temple for the first time in recent history.
“It is a big conspiracy to defame temple. How was a woman given a police uniform? It is a violation of the police act. The government should take action IG S Sreejith for enacting a dirty drama,” BJP general secretary K Surendran said.
Surendran asked the Muslim community to desist from such moves, saying it was against Hindus.
“Who enacted this drama? The government or the police?” he asked.
The BJP further sought action against police officials for hurting religious feelings of devotees which led to the disruption of temple rituals.
Read | Sabarimala row: All you need to know about the historic temple
Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala accused the government of playing with fire.
“Not only Hindus but people from all religions are going there. Everyone is worried. The woman activist (Rehana Fathima) was given a police uniform. It was wrong… The government is giving enough fuel to the Sangh Parivar,” the Congress leader said.
“Sabarimala is not a tourist spot, only devotees go there. Right now what Kerala police is doing is wrong. Had our government (been there), we would’ve handled the situation better. We would’ve talked to devotees, there would’ve been no violence,” he added.
The temple opened on Wednesday at 5pm for the first time after the September 28 Supreme Court ruling allowing entry of women aged between 10 and 50.
State temple minister Kadakampally Surendran pulled up the police for allowing Fathima to head for the temple, which he said was a lapse on part of the department.
“Police should have checked the antecedents of women before escorting them,” the minister said.
“People of all ages will be allowed to go there. But at the same time, we won’t allow it to be a place where activists can come and showcase their power. It can’t be a place where they prove certain points of theirs,” he said.
First Published: Oct 19, 2018 13:22 IST
Source: HindustanTimes