Tamil Nadu BJP chief K. Annamalai
Credit: PTI photo
Thiruvananthapuram: The Sabarimala Samrakshana Sangamam (Sabarimala protection conclave) organized by various Sangh Parivar outfits and some Hindu forums in Kerala on Monday to counter the Global Ayyappa Sangamam organised by the Kerala government has witnessed Tamil Nadu former BJP president K Annamalai paying back Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in the same coin by citing portions of Bhagavad Gita to attack Vijayan.
Addressing a public meeting held as part of the event, Annamalai said that Vijayan, who cited a portion of Gita to state who were real devotees should have read other portions too that tells about what type of people go to hell. He also listed out earlier atheist remarks made by Vijayan and other CPM leaders in Kerala. Those who used to say that gods were myth are now quoting the Gita, he said.
He also recollected the attempts made by the Pinarayi government in 2018-19 to forcefully enforce the Supreme Court order lifting ban on entry of women in the 10-50 age group to the temple.
The IPS officer turned politician also said that the intentions of the CPM in holding the Global Ayyappa Sangamam was very well evident as they invited Tamil Nadu chief minister M K Stalin, who is trying to sabotage Sanatana dharma, to the event. The Pinarayi government wants to make Sabarimala a tourist centre, he criticised.
Organisers of the Sabarimala Samrakshana Sangamam claimed that the participation at the event was much higher than that at the Global Ayyappa Sangamam.
Sabarimala Samrakshana Samathi, Hindu Aikya Vedi and Vishwa Hindu Parishat were among the key organisers of the day long Sabarimala Samrakshana Sangamam held at Pandalam in Pathanamthitta district, which is believed to be the place where lord Ayyappa spent his childhood. The Hindu outfits decided to hold the event after the state government announced the Global Ayyappa Sangamam as part of the platinum jubilee of Travancore Devaswom Board that manages the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple.
Meanwhile, there is resentment among the BJP leaders in Kerala over Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath sending his greeting message to the Global Ayyappa Sangamam even as the BJP state leadership was strongly opposing the event. BJP national executive member P K Krishna Das told reporters that it needed to be checked how the greetings was sent.
BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar and Tejasvi Surya MP were among those who attended the Sabarimala Samrakshana Samathi.