Thiruvananthapuram, 19 September (IANS) Congress General Secretary and Rajya Sabha member KC Venugopal on Friday launched a brilliant attack on his decision to organize ‘Ayyappa Congress’ on the Kerala government, alleging that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was accused of accusing Bhagwan Ayyappa for political gains.
It comes at a time when the Vijayan government is organizing a global Ayyappa congregation on the banks of the famous river Pampa on Saturday, where 3,500 participants have registered.
In an open letter addressed to the Chief Minister, Venugopal called the move a “sheer hypocrisy” and alleged that the government was trying to cover its previous failures with theaterics.
“The same Chief Minister, who once violated the Sabarimala traditions, is now pretending to protect faith by leading the Ayyappa congregation. The people of Kerala clearly see it through honesty and lack of political objectives,” Venugopal wrote.
He warned that without addressing the questions raised by the society, Vijayan would be difficult to face devotees in Pampa.
Referring to the women’s entry issue, the Congress leader said that the government was abandoned deep wounds without negotiations to implement the Supreme Court’s decision without unilateral decisions.
He said, “The disturbance made even then is in the mind of the loyal, and it is ironic that the responsible person is now parade as the patron of the tradition,” he said.
Venugopal also hit the neglect of the government of the infrastructure of Sabarimala.
“In the last nine years, there has been no meaningful development – whether in drinking water facilities, cleaning, mob management, or transport. A government that cannot even protect the gold offerings made by Lord Ayyappa by devotees, no moral right to find the trust of believers,” he accused.
He further accused the CPI (M) Devaswom ministers of insulting the insult by refusing the bow to the deity.
Demanding clarity, Venugopal asked whether the LDF government withdrew the controversial affidavit filed in the Supreme Court, which he claimed, provided the facility of violation of temple traditions.
At least, he urged, the government should withdraw matters against those who participated in the ‘Name Chanting (Protest)’ march.
A swipe in the conceptual contradictions of the ruling party, Venugopal questioned whether Ayyappa Mandali indicated a deviation from the atheistic roots of CPI (M), leaving only after the assembly elections.
He also demanded that Chief Minister Sabarimala Thhantry apologizes, which he had allegedly humiliated during the women’s entry movement.
Earlier in the day, Devsom Minister VN Vasavan said in the Kerala Legislative Assembly that all arrangements for the upcoming global Ayyappa congregation, including participation of foreign representatives, had been completed.
“The opposition is trying to get the global Ayyappa congregation out of despair after repeated failures. He first said with the RSS that the congregation would be blocked. Then they went to the High Court and the Supreme Court, but failed at the same time.
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SG/DPB