THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state Congress leadership is feeling quite pleased with itself following the remarkable success of the yatras being staged by five senior Congressmen demanding protection of the beliefs and customs in Sabarimala. The yatras taken out from various parts of the state by K Muraleedharan MLA, K Sudhakaran, Shanimol Usman, Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan MLA and Kodikkunnil Suresh MP will conclude on Thursday.
According to the party brass, the yatras have fired up the grassroots workers while putting the ruling CPM and the LDF Government completely on the defensive. The state Congress has stuck to its earlier stand the status quo of 1991 should be maintained and women belonging to the restricted age should not be allowed entry into Sabarimala. KPCC president Mullappally Ramachandran told Express: “The Congress' consistent stand is women belonging to the restricted age bracket shouldn't be allowed entry into the Sannidhanam.”
The Congress is closely monitoring the developments in Sabarimala after the Supreme court refused to stay its September 28 order, besides allowing the review petitions to be heard in the open court on January 22, 2019. With the apex court refusing to stay its September 28 order, the ball is now in the government's court and if indeed the SC upholds its own earlier order allowing women of all ages entry into Sabarimala, then all hell will break loose at the hill shrine.
Around 550 women in the 10-50 age group have already registered their names with the Kerala Police website, seeking security cover for entering the Sannidhanam. The Intelligence wing has already intimated to the government this will create a major law and order situation not only in Sannidhanam and Sabarimala but across the state.
Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala has dissociated himself from the stand taken by KPCC working president K Sudhakaran saying they will block women belonging to the restricted age bracket from entering Sabarimala." The Congress has already announced the party's stand and we are opposed to women belonging to the restricted age entering the temple. But we will not block them physically,” he said. K Sudhakaran told Express: "There is overwhelming support from the grassroots and all our programmes have witnessed massive attendance. This means the people want to hear what Congress has to say and the response from the public has been phenomenal.”
Congress leaders, though, are quite guarded in their approach as the party does not want to convey the impression it is in favour of blocking women devotees' entry into Sabarimala as the party is seized of the ground reality and doesn't want to fritter away the advantage .K Muraleedharan, whose padayatra is from Thiruvananthapuram to Pathanamthitta, told Express ,"People of the state want to know what the Congress is saying and people belonging to all religions are wholeheartedly backing us. But we don’t want any violence on this count since the Congress is a peace-loving party. Nonetheless, Congress wants to convey to the people our strong disagreement with the government stance on the issue.”