‘No more hiding, govt must clarify its stand on entry of young women into Sabarimala Temple: VD Satheesan

As the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear review petitions on Monday regarding the 2018 verdict allowing women into the Sabarimala temple on Monday, Opposition leader in the Kerala Assembly VD Satheesan has urged the state government to end its evasive approach on the issue.

Speaking to the media in Kochi on Sunday, Satheesan asked Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to clarify whether his government would file a new affidavit or stand by the one it had earlier filed in the Supreme Court in the Sabarimala Temple women’s entry case.

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“There can be no hiding on this issue. The Azhakozhamban (evasive) stance is no longer acceptable. The position should be clearly stated,” VD Satheesan said.

He alleged that the first Pinarayi Vijayan government, which had initially taken a strong in favour of women’s entry into the Sabarimala Temple, later reached a point of apologising due to fear of protests.

“Now, the question is whether the government supports the entry of young women into the Sabarimala Temple. If it does, then it can stand firm on the affidavit it has already filed in the Supreme Court. Earlier, the then Devaswom Minister had publicly apologised. He even asked for forgiveness. The former minister said that he had made a mistake. If the government feels regret over the affidavit filed earlier in support of women’s entry into the Sabarimala Temple, it should be withdrawn, “ the Opposition leader said.

Satheesan clarified that when the UDF comes to power, a new affidavit will be filed in the Supreme Court, taking into account the social conditions.

The Opposition leader alleged that huge financial irregularities had taken place in the name of Sabarimala and the global Ayyappa Sangamam.

He also accused the CPM leadership of embezzling crores of rupees in the name of the Ayyappa Sangamam. He said that the government’s moves targeting the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) had specific political objectives and that political appointments in the TDB paved the way for such corruption.

He said that after the allegations of embezzling crores of rupees in the name of the Ayyappa Sangam surfaced, the Devaswom Minister is trying to wash his hands of the matter by stating that he did not know anything about the dealings of funds and that the government had no role in them.

“If the government has no role, why did they put up advertisements for the global Ayyappa Sangamam all over Kerala with the Chief Minister’s picture?” he asked, adding that crores of rupees were spent on the advertisement. “The Chief Minister attended the event and said that the event was being organised by the Travancore Devaswom Board with the support of the government,” Satheesan said.

CPM state Secretary M V Govindan on Sunday did not give a clear answer to the media’s question whether the CPM will change its stance on allowing young women to enter Sabarimala Temple. He said the party will state its position when required, adding that “nothing is unchangeable.”

“It is the government that has to speak, and it will do so,” Govindan said in Palakkad.

State Law Minister P Rajeev said that the government’s stand on the issue of women’s entry into Sabarimala cannot be taken in a minute. “Let the review bench come first. After that, the stand will be announced,” he said.

NSS General Secretary G Sukumaran Nair said his organisation hopes that the government will amend the affidavit filed in the Supreme Court regarding the entry of young women into the Sabarimala Temple.

BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar said that his party’s stand on the entry of women into the Sabarimala Temple is clear. Rajeev Chandrasekhar said that his position is that the temples should not come under the government.