KOTTAYAM: CPM Central Committee member Vaikom Viswan on Sunday said the attempts by the UDF and BJP to drain the LDF’s votes in the name of Sabarimala will not yield any results.“The government did not arrest anyone for saying ‘Lord Ayyappa’. Those who attempted to unleash violence in Sabarimala and urged people not to give offerings were arrested,” Viswan told reporters here.
He said the hill abode incurred a loss of Rs 92 crore due to the call given by some organisations not to give offerings at the hill abode. “However, the government compensated for the difference in revenue by allotting Rs 100 crore for Sabarimala,” he said. Viswan said there had always been a campaign to portray faith would be in jeopardy whenever the LDF comes to power.