Global Ayyappa Sangamam a political hypocrisy, says Satheesan; UDF to decide on participation after govt’s response on ‘breach of tradition’

Senior Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Kerala Assembly VD Satheesan on Wednesday said that the United Democratic Front (UDF) will take a decision on participating in the Global Ayyappa Sangamam (Global Ayyappa Summit), which is being organised by the LDF government at Pampa on September 20, after the government answers three pertinent questions, including its role in the violation of the centuries-old tradition at the Sabarimala shrine in 2018.

Addressing a press conference here on Wednesday, Satheesan asked the government whether it would file a fresh affidavit in the Supreme Court in favour of the ban on women in the 10-50 age group at the Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa temple.

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“It was the LDF government that changed the affidavit submitted by the UDF government in the Supreme Court, turning it into one that supported violations of tradition,” Satheesan said.

The Opposition leader wanted the government to state whether it would withdraw the police cases filed against participants of the namajapaghoshayatra in 2018. The namajapaghoshayatras were protest marches by devotees against the entry of all women into the Sabarimala temple. Satheesan also asked the government whether more funds would be given to the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB).

Satheesan said the Global Ayyappa Sangamam is a political hypocrisy.

“The Global Ayyappa Sangamam being organised by the government is a political hypocrisy. This is a fake Ayyappa Sangamam. The pilgrimage became more complicated after the LDF government came to power,” he said.

Calling the Global Ayyappa Sangamam a political deceit, Satheesan said the Opposition will accept an invitation to the Sangamam only if the government responds to the pertinent questions raised by the UDF.

“Let the government answer these questions first. Only then will the UDF decide on participation,” he said.

Meanwhile, BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar demanded that the Travancore Devaswom Board and the Kerala government immediately withdraw the affidavit submitted to the Supreme Court against Sabarimala customs before the upcoming Global Ayyappa Sangamam. He said such a step would be the only sincere gesture towards Ayyappa devotees, whose sentiments were deeply hurt in 2018.

The BJP Kerala chief said that it was with CPI-M’s support that women activists like Bindu Ammini and Rehana Fathima attempted to enter Sabarimala, violating age-old customs. “The CPI-M cannot erase the wound inflicted on Ayyappa devotees across the world in 2018. No believer will forgive the Pinarayi Vijayan government for trampling on their faith,” he said.

In a related development, reports suggest that as an alternative to the Global Ayyappa Sangamam, the Sabarimala Karma Samiti and Hindu Aikya Vedi will organise a ‘Viswasi Sangamam’ (believers’ summit) on September 22 at Pandlam. The event is being organised to show that the Ayyappa Sangamam is a fraud. Efforts are being made to invite leaders, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah and UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, to the Sangamam.

No official announcement has been made regarding the Viswasi Sangamam. Hindu Aikya Vedi President RV Babu said that Hindu organisations will deliberate and take a decision in this regard soon.