‘Kerala CM has hurt sentiments of devotees’

Bajrang Dal Convener Sunil K R has said the Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s stubbornness on allowing women devotees enter the famed Sabarimala shrine has deeply hurt the religious sentiments of devotees.

Addressing a massive gathering in Udupi, he said the Kerala chief minister had insisted upon the police to assist the women to enter the shrine to hurt the sentiments of Hindu devotees. “Women in the age group of 10 to 50 years were barred from entering the temple and the tradition is being followed for several centuries. The Kerala government and the chief minister had invited the wrath of the gods with this development,” he said.

District BJP president Mattar Ratnakar Hegde said courts should not have any say in the tradition and customs being followed in the temples. The rituals are being followed since time immemorial and in fact, every devotee has a special bonding with each tradition and the custom. Hence, the Kerala government should have stopped the women from entering the temple, he stressed.

Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Manjunath Swami accused the Kerala government of conspiring to destroy the unity of Hindus with its non-belief approach. The Kerala government is destroying the tradition and culture of Hindu religion, he charged.

VHP District Secretary Sharan Pumpwell urged the Central government to impose president’s rule in Kerala as Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has hurt the sentiments of Hindu devotees by allowing women to enter the Sabarimala shrine.

He was addressing a protest meeting organised by the Shri Kshetra Shabarimala Samrakshana Samithi in Mangaluru.

Dakshina Kannada District In-charge Minister U T Khader has accused the Centre of double speak on Sabarimala issue.

He told reporters at Circuit hall that the BJP government at the Centre has remained silent on the issue. But it has been instigating its members and MPs to stage a dharna in Kerala. “It appears that the BJP is keen on keeping the issue alive till the next elections,” he criticised.