KOZHIKODE: Categorising Ayyappa devotees as a separate religious denomination and giving them the right to manage their own affairs in matters of religion under Article 26(b) of the Constitution is the only viable solution to resolve the Sabarimala impasse, Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala has said.
Chennithala said such a move would require a Constitutional amendment. On whether the Congress, as principal Opposition party at the Centre, would raise this demand, Chennithala said the party had only 45 members in Parliament. “The initiative should come from the BJP. When they do that, we will ask our party to spell out its stand,” he said.
‘Police raj in Sabarimala’
Condemning the “police raj” in Sabarimala, he said the onus of the smooth conduct of the pilgrimage rested with the state government, but it had failed miserably.
‘Hartal uncalled for’
Chennithala said the Sangh Parivar has taken the people of the state hostage by calling a hartal in the early hours of the day, which was totally uncalled for. Regarding the detention of K P Sasikala, Chennithala said he believes she had gone to Sabarimala to deliberately create trouble.