THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Putting the BJP on the defensive, an internal circular of the party asking its cadre to mobilise at Sabarimala was leaked out to the media on Monday. The circular issued by party state general secretary A N Radhakrishnan includes a chart specifying the party units which should bring maximum number of workers to the shrine on days starting November 18 up to December 15.
Party workers in different areas in Kollam are in charge from November 20 to 22, followed by Kottayam, Idukki, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur and Kasargod.
“Everyday members of the specified Sangh district should visit the shrine. Leaders-in-charge on each day have been fixed. Workers should consult them to know the reporting time and place,” the circular says. The programme leadership comprises members of the state committee, state council, Morcha office-bearers, regional and district leaders. State leaders have been assigned to take care of workers who reach the shrine everyday.
With the circular coming out on Monday, both the CPM and the LDF leaderships have attacked the BJP-RSS combine for a design to create tension in Sabarimala and turn the hill shrine into a conflict zone. The CPM also alleged efforts by the saffron party to hijack the temple. The BJP, however, maintained that there was nothing wrong in the circular. AN Radhakrishnan blamed the “CPM supporters” in some mainstream media behind “blowing the issue out of proportion”.
“We are in a protest and would ask our cadre to join it. We have not asked them to indulge in any kind of anti-social activity. There is no direction to make any kind of issue or block anyone,” he said. He said the government with the help of some media is trying to divert attention from the police atrocities against devotees at the shrine.