Team News Riveting
Kochi, March 11
Even as Kerala gears up for the electoral battle, the ruling Community Party has “repented” for the Sabarimala row in a desperate attempt to allure Lord Ayyappan’s devotees.
Kerala had witnessed high drama during the 41-day annual pilgrimage season in 2018 following apex court order that facilitated women of all groups to enter the holy shrine. As per the temple practice, the menstruating women were not allowed inside the shrine.
The ruling CPM backed the ruling and said it the state government would implement it by providing escort to the women in the age group of 10-50 willing to visit the temple. Thousands of Ayyappa devotees started agitation and restricted the Left-backed activist women from entering the temple.
The local administration dodged the protesters and paved the way for the entry of two women who were supporters of the CPM. During the protest, hundreds of devotees were tortured by the police and even many suffered injuries when security personnel resorted to Lathi-charge.
Senior CPI(M) leader and Devaswom minister Kadakampally Surendran on Thursday virtually expressed regret over the incidents that took place in Sabarimala over the women entry issue and described it as something which “should never have happened” at the Lord Ayyappa Temple.
He also vowed that the Left government would implement the final verdict of the Supreme Court only after consulting with believers, political parties and the general public.
“The incident that took place in Sabarimala in 2018 was something which had pained all of us. It should never have happened. It has pained everyone…it has pained me also,” Surendran told television channels.
The CPM is now atoned after inflicting atrocities on Ayyappa devotees and breaking the temple tradition by escorting two menstruating women to the shrine. The move is aimed for political gain as the CPM had drawn flak from several quarters over the women’s entry issue for its alleged hastiness in implementing the Supreme Court order.
The party paid a heavy cost for its double standard. In the Lok Sabha polls in 2019, post-Sabarimala agitation, the LDF had suffered a massive drubbing, losing 19 out of the total of 20 seats. 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.
