So far, a total of 3345 devotees have been arrested under 517 cases in connection with the Sabarimala protests. The cases against NSS workers have been viewed as an act of revenge against the organisation of the Nair community for toeing the line being adopted by Sangh-inspired organisations
Nair Service Society (NSS) carried out a 1000 strong namajapa yatra in Attingal, Thiruvananthapuram. Yatra, led by the taluk union president, reiterated the organisation’s pro traditions stand; it supported the stand taken by general secretary G Sukumaran Nair to carry out the protests against the LDF government’s Sabarimala policy. NSS has been conducting namajapa yatra in several places, and its rank and file is deeply involved in the yatras and other activities being carried out by RSS, BJP and Sangh-inspired movements in connection with the Sabarimala issue.
Now, the police have registered cases against more than a thousand people, including women, for participating in the yatra mentioned above. The police maintain, they examined the video and cases have been registered for blocking the national highway! And, arrests are imminent. Similar yatra has been carried out in Nedumangad also, again in Thiruvananthapuram district. And, police has registered cases against more than 500 people.
In a statement issued by the NSS, Shri Sukumaran Nair said that the police action on devotees is equivalent to the Emergency. “The state government’s stand, which goes against the beliefs of the devotees, is both immoral as well as anti-democratic,” the statement reads.
The cases against the NSS workers have been viewed as an act of revenge against the organisation of the Nair community for toeing the line being adopted by Sangh-inspired organisations. Apparently, the NSS has been maintaining warm relations, till recently, with the LDF in general and CM Pinarayi Vijayan in particular.
“The Chief Minister and other ministers are disgracing and slandering the heirs of Pandalam royal family and Sabarimala thantris in a cheap language, which hurts millions of devotees. This kind of action should not have come from a democratic government,” the statement added.
“While the government is bound to uphold the Constitutional right of protecting faith and custom, it was not ready to file a review petition or report to the court about the situation prevailing here. Moreover, the government is not permitting the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) to do so,” the statement further added.
Addressing the delegates at the NSS headquarters, Perunna, Shri G Sukumaran Nair today said that the threats of Government will not work with the Nair Service Society. He also alleged that the Communist government is promoting atheism among people.
In the meantime, the arrests against the devotees who participated in the peaceful namajapa yatra throughout the state for the protection of the traditions in Shabarimala, to have touched 3345 under 517 cases throughout the state.
