Janjivan Bureau / Kannur : Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Amit Shah extending full support to the ongoing protest led by devotees of Lord Ayyappa who are opposing the entry of women to the Sabarimala Temple. He asserted that the ruling party is standing like rock with devotees of lord Ayappa.
“Today in Kerala a struggle is going on between religious beliefs and state Govt’s cruelty. The Left government in Kerala has misused the Sabarimala issue. More than 2000 activists and workers from BJP, RSS and other organisations have been arrested. BJP is standing like a rock with devotees, Left Govt be warned,” said Shah, while addressing a rally at Kannur in Kerala on Saturday.
Shah, who began his speech with ‘Swamiya Saranam Ayyappa’ mantra, said the LDF government led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan would have to pay a “heavy price” if the suppression of the agitation continued.
In a warning to Vijayan, he said the effort by his government to clamp down on the agitation amounted to “playing with fire”.
“Chief Minister must stop the brutality in the name of implementing the SC verdict,” he said, adding that even women in the state were against the government move to implement the top court’s order.
Alleging that the Left government was trying to “destroy” the Sabarimala temple and the “Hindu traditions”, the BJP chief said the saffron party would not allow the CPI(M)-led government to “gamble with Hindu faith”.
“There is no restriction for women to offer prayers in any other Ayyappa temple…The uniqueness of the Sabarimala shrine has to be protected,” he said.
“The communist government is conspiring against temples. They have created an emergency-like situation in Kerala,” he added.
Recalling that the Left government had not implemented several court orders before, Shah said the court order in the matter should be implemented by respecting the sentiments of devotees.
Making it clear that the saffron party was all set to make the Sabarimala issue one of its main agendas in the state, he concluded his speech by asking party workers to call ‘Swamiye Saranam Ayyappa’.
Entry of the females in the menstruating age-group was banned in the temple as Lord Ayyappa is considered to be a celibate; hence the temple authorities only allow girls aged below 10 and women aged over 50 into the shrine. However, there is no restriction on the entry of men.
