NEW DELHI: Communist Party of India (Marxist) has hit out at the Rashtriya Swamsewak Sangh (RSS) in stand-off over the entry of menstrual age women to Lord Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala. CPIM Politburo member S Ramachandran Pillai alleged that RSS is creating trouble in Sabarimala.
"They (RSS) are behaving like Taliban and Khalistan terrorists. Why are they trying to create trouble in Sabarimala? They should allow everything to be peaceful, they’re not doing it," he said.
Earlier on Tuesday, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had also alleged that the Sangh Parivar was making the pilgrims 'scapegoats'. Vijayan asserted that Sabarimala would not be allowed to be transformed into a "centre of violence" and his government "will not compromise" with those perpetrating violence in the temple complex. He claimed that the Sangh Parivar was "exploiting Sabarimala in the name of faith" and trying to take control of the temple.
Vijayan also defended the arrest of 69 people from the temple complex on Sunday night and slammed the Congress for opposing implementation of the Supreme Court order. He alleged the RSS and Congress "have become one" on the Sabarimala issue.
Meanwhile, BJP President Amit Shah accused the Kerala government of treating pilgrims as 'Gulag inmates'. In a series of tweets, Shah said, "If several reports of flushing resting places for devotees and them having to spend nights next to pig droppings and dustbin are true, then Pinarayi Vijayan must realize that he can't treat Ayyappa devotees like inmates of Gulag. We won't let LDF crush people's faith with impunity."
Gulag was a system of forced labour camps established during Joseph Stalin's rule in the Soviet Union.
Shah's comments underlined his party's support to devotees protesting against the state government's move to implement the apex court order that allowed the entry of women of all groups to the temple.
Shah said the way in which the Vijayan's government is handling the sensitive issue of Sabarimala is disappointing as the "Kerala police is treating young girls, mothers and aged inhumanly, forcing them to take the arduous pilgrimage, without even basic facilities like food, water, shelter and clean toilets".
"If Pinarayi Vijayan thinks he can rise against people's movement to preserve Sabarimala by arresting K Surendran, BJP's Thrissur district president and six others, then he is mistaken," Shah had said.
