The Kerala government plans to appoint a large number of CPI(M) cadres as temporary workers in a bid to grab control over Sabarimala and to take on devotees who will be resisting young women’s entry in the coming Mandala season. Despite huge police presence in Sabarimala last time, the government has failed to take non-Hindu activists to the hill shrine. There were reports in Malayalam media that the CPI(M) requested women activists of SFI and DYFI to go for Sabarimala visit but none turned up. So, the government had to depend on some converted Christians and ultra Left activists for the mission. Chief Minister Vijayan and DGP Loknath Behra had personally asked Inspector General Sreejith to provide full security to Rehana Fathima and Kavitha. These activists reached nadapanthal, 500 mts away from Sannidhanam, accompanied by 100 police personnel.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has already revealed the government’s intention to take women to the hill shrine ignoring the protests of devotees across the world. The state witnessed more than 250 nama japa yatras with women turning up in large numbers.
The government has plans to deploy 5000 police personnel in Sannidhanam alone to take on devotees. The Chief Minister thinks that he could muzzle devotees’ resistance through such strong-arm tactics.
Unconfirmed reports suggest that the government has plans to force open the temple if the Thanthri (chief priest) chooses to shut it in case of violation of tradition. The government has another thantri ready for this purpose, say reports. This time the Thantri had threatened to close the temple if the controversial women activists were taken to the Sannidhanam. The government had to give up the plan after the Thantri’s threat.
Vijayan had launched a broadside against the Thantri and Pandalam royals. He tried to evoke parochial sentiments by calling the Thantri a migrant and an employee of Devaswom Board. Taking cue from their leader, cyber goons of CPI(M) had launched vicious attack on Hindu beliefs, Thantri and Pandalam royals. Following Vijayan diktat, the Devaswom Board has taken a U-turn and said it won’t file a report with the Supreme Court when the matter comes for hearing.
The CPI(M) has also planned cyber media blitzkrieg aimed at exploiting the caste faultlines in the Hindu society. The Sabarimala row has seen unprecedented Hindu consolidation in the state, despite the vicious campaign launched by the party. Vijayan, according to party sources, is ignoring the resentment within his party and among the coalition parties.
Meanwhile, the government has started crackdown on devotees who had protested women’s entry in the hill shrine. The police released photographs of over 200 persons and asked district police officials to arrest them. Stringent sections are invoked against workers of Hindu organisations for allegedly creating trouble in Sabarimala. Social media showed pictures of DYFI workers in police uniform targeting devotees during the trouble.
The Hindu Aikya Vedi has issued a statement that they would provide legal aid to all devotees who were arrested by the police.
By – T. Satisan