Senior CPI(M) leader Kadakampally Surendran on Thursday, 11 March, expressed regret over the incidents that took place at the Sabarimala temple in 2018, regarding lifting of the ban on women’s entry into the shrine.
“The incident that took place in Sabarimala in 2018 was something which had pained all of us,” Surendran told news channels. He further described the skirmishes saying that they “should never have happened...it has pained me also.”
In poll-bound Kerala, the Opposition Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have been raking up the Sabarimala issue against the Marxist government, alleging hastiness in implementing the Supreme Court order in 2018, thereby hurting Hindu sentiments.
What Was the Sabarimala Row?
Back in September 2018, the apex court had lifted the age-old ban which denied entry to women of a menstruating age. The Pinarayi Vijayan government had angered Sabarimala temple worshippers when his government announced that it would go forward and implement the apex court’s order.
The government’s announcement was followed by massive protests by angry worshippers in October 2018. Schools across the state were closed and public transport services were suspended.
When a group of women in the 10-50 age group tried to enter the Sabarimala temple, they too, like other failed attempts, were prevented by protesting devotees.
A bitter battle with the police followed, who tried to implement SC’s order and help the women enter the temple. The Kerala Police had arrested 1,400 people in connection with the violent protests.
Serious Criminal Cases Not Withdrawn
The Marxist government on Wednesday, 24 February, had decided to withdraw cases against protesters on the Sabarimala temple issue, coincidentally, after the Congress-led Opposition offered withdrawal of the Sabarimala agitation cases as a reward for coming to power.
CPI(M) leader Kadakampally Surendran on Thursday, 11 March, pointed out that the Pinarayi Vijayan-led LDF government had recently withdrawn all cases that were not of serious criminal nature as a gesture of goodwill.
Surendran also assured the people that the final verdict of the apex court will be implemented only after consulting with believers, political parties, and the general public.
The BJP rejected the minister's statement and demanded an apology from the CPI(M) leader for what had happened in 2018.
BJP’s state president K Surendran said that even if the minister takes a thousand baths in the Ganga, he would not be forgiven for his cruelty and injustice shown to Sabarimala temple supporters.
He added that the people of the state would not believe the CPI(M) leader, who voiced his regret only out of fear of losing the coming polls starting 6 April.
Following the Sabarimala row, things had taken a turn for the worse for Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, specially when the LDF won just one of the 20 Lok Sabha seats in Kerala, and the single reason attributed was the anger of the Hindu community over breaking of the Sabarimala temple tradition.
Vijayan is aiming to become the first chief minister in the state's history to return to power by winning two successive elections. The CPI(M), however, regained lost ground by winning the recent civic body polls. The party, which conducted a door-to-door campaign post the LS polls, had admitted that a section of believers had misunderstood the Left on the Sabarimala issue.
(With inputs from PTI.)
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