Sabarimala Devotees are being subjected to Fascism in Kerala; Whole Bharat Needs to Stand By Them

What police has been resorting to in Sabarimala and surrounding areas is nothing but blatant Stalinism. Fascism rules the roost there. It is naked arrogance and aggression of police that one could see there. Pinararyi Vijayan’s blue eyed boy and Thiruvananthapuram Range IG of Police Manoj Abraham IPS is the officer-in-charge there. He is infamous for his anti-Hindu posture and the implementation of that attitude wherever he worked in the past.

Absurd sort of statements of the Dewaswom minister and CPM leader Kadakampilli Surendran, before a press conference, did fuel the violent actions of the police. Throughout the press briefing, he showered baseless allegations against RSS and BJP. He went to the extent of shouting an utter lies throughout the press meet. He said, the petition before the Supreme Court for the right of women of all ages to enter the Sannidhanam (premises of the Sabarimala shrine) was filed by RSS workers and wives of RSS and BJP leaders. He blamed the media men for not propagating this lie. Another lie was RSS conspiracy to unleash violence in Sabarimala. His final words that ‘government knows how to handle RSS and BJP’ gave clear indication to the police to resort to violent attacks against the devotees. It looks like Pinarayi Vijayan, before leaving for UAE, has entrusted with him the mission of ‘teaching Sangh parivar a lesson’.

Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) activists were brutally lathi-charged in Pampa on October 17. They were beaten without provocation while they were carrying out namajapayjna. The lathi charge came like a bolt from the blue, sans any sort of public announcement through public address system, which is a statutory norm for this sort of actions.

The next atrocity was in Nilakkal where even elderly women were not spared. Smt. Saroja from Kochi, is one among several injured women. They were injured in lathi charge and stone pelting by the policemen. Several BJYM youths were manhandled there, she says.

Ashwin, a young devotee from Pathanamthita, who was on his way to Shabarimala darshan, who does not have anything to do with the agitation, is hospitalized with serious injuries caused by the lathi charge.

TV channels telecast the visuals of policemen smashing the car windows and felling the parked two wheelers. Some were even stealing the helmets kept on the two wheelers.

Police tried their best to lead the New York Times reporter Suhasini (46) to the shrine. The devotees blocked it by chanting ‘Swamiye Sharanamayyappa”. At last police had to give up the attempt. The woman left uttering that she is an atheist.

BJP state president Adv. P.S. Sreedharan Pillai told the press men that police has got no authority to demolish the pandal of the devotees. He alleged that several members of the police team had not even completed the passing out parades. They did not wear the name plates on their chests. Adv. Pillai demanded a judicial inquiry into the police atrocities. He sees a CPM conspiracy, to demolish the divinity of Shabarimala, in the actions and steps of the government. He said, minister Katakampilli Surendran creates provocation.

Several BJYM workers were arrested in Nilakkal for violating Section 144 of IPC. Cases have been registered against 300 men. Prakashbabu declared from the police vehicle, after the arrest, that no 144 can kill the agitation. BJYM will continue it until the goal is achieved. No lathi charge can pave the way for the young women’s entry into Shabarimala.

Pinarayi regime’s police takes two young women to Shabarimala with absolute police escort which usually a head of the state is entitled to. One is Kavitha, a young girl from Andhra. She wears police uniform and inching to Sannidhanam surrounded by a very big police team.

Another one is reported to be Rahana Fathima, the infamous leader of the anti social campaign called Kiss of Love. She invited the wrath of the right thinking people for writing dirtiest and most obscene remarks about Lord Ayyappa in social media. She is reported to be from Kochi. The police escort for both is led by the IG of Police.

But, devotees in several points of Sabarimala are congregating in big Natappandhal before the shrine. They have declared, they would not permit the violation of traditions like this. They would not allow the girls to go to the shrine, come what may. They include devotees from other states also. Several of them carry small kids on their shoulder.

There are reports that Thiruvithamkoor Dewaswom Board (TDB) appears to be scaling down from the arrogant stand. TDB president A Padmakumar said that Board was ready for any compromise for ending the stalemate. He asks if the agitation will be terminated if review petition filed. Board is ready to discuss the proposals. He appealed to all stakeholders to stand together for a consensus. TDB meeting will be held tomorrow, October 19 to discuss the possibility of filing the review petition.

Meanwhile Dewaswom minister Kadakampilli Surendran said that government is ready for talks. If police actions are excessive inquiry into it can be considered.