Ayyappa conclave row: BJP asks Devaswom to retract stand supporting women’s entry at Sabarimala, Kerala govt to withdraw cases

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has demanded that the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) withdraw its earlier position in the Supreme Court supporting women’s entry into the Sabarimala temple. The demand comes ahead of the proposed global Ayyappa devotees’ convention.

State BJP President Rajeev Chandrasekhar, in a statement on Sunday, said the board’s past actions under the Pinarayi Vijayan-led government betrayed the trust of Ayyappa devotees.

“The board should not assume that worshippers have forgotten the stance it took on February 6, 2019, during the hearing of review petitions in the apex court. It must publicly retract the position that was against Ayyappa faith and temple traditions,” he said.

Hurt sentiments of devotees

Chandrasekhar noted that the state government and the TDB’s submission before the court had hurt the sentiments of millions of devotees. He added that if they were sincere in organising the convention, they should officially inform the court of a revised stand and issue a public clarification.

NSS and other organisations’ concerns

The BJP leader pointed out that organisations such as the Nair Service Society (NSS) had opposed the board’s earlier position. He welcomed the NSS’s stand that the convention could be supported only if temple traditions and sanctity were preserved, and agreed with their call for a non-political organising committee made up of true Ayyappa devotees.

He added that social reform organisation Shree Narayan Guru Dharma Paripalana’s assertion that women’s entry was unacceptable to devotees should also be respected, alongside the concerns of other Hindu organisations.

Criticism of government and CPI-M

Chandrasekhar further criticised the state for failing to withdraw cases filed against thousands of devotees who had protested against women’s entry. He accused the CPI-M of politicising the convention, citing remarks by state secretary M.V. Govindan, and condemned the Kerala government’s attempt to invite Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin.

Calling it an “anti-Sanatan move” that was defeated by BJP’s opposition, he warned that if anyone attempted to use the devotees’ convention for political gain, the larger Ayyappa community would rise in unison against it.

With IANS inputs