Taking a U-turn on the Sabarimala temple issue, the ruling CPM party in Kerala has demanded that the Central government should pass a law to protect the ‘customs and traditions’ of the temple.
Kerala Devaswom Minister, Kadakampally Surendran on Sabarimala issue: If customs and traditions can be protected by law, it is good. It is not appropriate to drag devotees to the streets. Earlier too, we had requested Centre to pass legislation regarding this. pic.twitter.com/b4qCDTwa6R
— ANI (@ANI) June 21, 2019
State Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran today said that it is not appropriate to drag the devotees on the street and requested the Central government to enact a law to safeguard the customs and traditions of the temple. He said that if enacting a law takes time then the Centre should pass an ordinance based on which the government can proceed further.
Kerala Devaswom Minister, Kadakampally Surendran on Sabarimala issue: Centre should take immediate action to make a law. If that takes time, then an Ordinance should be brought based on which the government can function or proceed further.
— ANI (@ANI) June 21, 2019
Surendran’s statements came after Member of Parliament from Kollam and alliance partner of Congress-led UDF, N K Premachandran announced that he would be presenting a private member bill in Parliament today to overturn the Supreme Court verdict on Sabarimala.
Kollam MP NK. Premachandran to present a private member bill on #Sabarimala issue in the Parliament today. https://t.co/49xQTKrEPS
— ANI (@ANI) June 21, 2019
The CPM which had welcomed the controversial Supreme Court verdict allowing the woman of menstruating age to enter the Ayappa temple has suddenly changed its stand on the issue. In a massive crackdown on Ayappa devotees who were protesting against the entry of women between the age group of 10 to 50 in the Sabarimala temple, the Kerala police had made mass arrests by arresting around 2000 people and filed cased against 450 of them. The police had also lathicharged and pelted stones at the peaceful protestors who were gathered outside the temple.
In reference to the Sabarimala issue, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had said that some customs are meant to be violated. On the contrary, the CPM government that tried every dirty trick to make women of menstruating age enter the Sabarimala temple arrested three women belonging to a Hindu outfit for trying to enter the Vavar Mosque which is located on the way to Sabarimala temple and is visited by pilgrims visiting the temple. But like most of the mosques, the Vavar mosque also does not allow the entry of the women.
