Sabarimala Temple Women's Entry: Pinarayi Vijayan Blames RSS For Attacks on Devotees

Kochi, October 18: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday blamed the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) for "obstructing believers and spreading terror". In a Facebook post, Vijayan said the RSS has been intolerant to the fact that everyone can visit Sabarimala temple, adding that everyone must condemn the attacks on devotees.

"Sabarimala has a uniqueness that other temples lack; it allows entry for people of all faith. Sangh Parivar and RSS have always been intolerant of this fact. They have made many attempts to erase this distinction of Sabarimala," Vijayan said in a long post. "The RSS backed attackers are obstructing believers and spreading terror," he added. Kerala Shutdown: Sabarimala Karma Samithi Calls For State-wide Hartal Against Police Attack.

The chief minister said the attackers were backed by the RSS and had casteist mindset. "These attackers are motivated by casteist and feudal ideologies. Encouraging such movements will eventually lead to the banishment of backward classes from places like Sabarimala. All believers must condemn this attack on Sabarimala," he said.

At least two women were stopped from visiting Sabarimala temple by protesters who defied the Supreme Court's rulling allowing entry of women of all ages in the hill shrine. Female journalists were also attacked in presence of police personnel. Due to continued protests, no woman could enter the Sabarimala temple on Wednesday.

BJP state presidnet PS Sreedharan Pillai blamed the ruling CPI(M) for the attacks. He said insufficient police force was deployed to control the situation. "It was part of the plan designed by the CPI(M) people. 300 police personnel, who had not completed their training, were taken there and this scene was created," he said while reacting to attacks on female journalists.

Incidently, RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat on Thursday criticised the Supreme Court's decision allowing entry of women of all ages to the Sabarimala temple in Kerala, saying it was flawed as it did not consider all aspects and hence would not be easily adopted.

"The decisions taken without considering all aspects, will neither be adopted in actual practice nor will they help in creating a new social order in tune with changing times and positions," Bhagwat told Rashtriya Swayamsevaks on the occasion of Vijayadashmi in Reshimbaug in Nagpur.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 18, 2018 01:00 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).