KOCHI: The Sabarimala Karma Samithi will launch an indefinite hartal from Sunday onwards if the police do not release Hindu Aikya Vedi state president K P Sasikala and allow her to have darshan at Sabarimala, said general convenor SJR Kumar here on Saturday.
The police have violated the procedure to arrest a woman when they detained K P Sasikala from Marakkoottam, on the trek route to Sabarimala at 2.20 am on Saturday, alleged Kumar. She was stopped at 7.30 pm, when she was on her way to Sannidhanam and was told not to enter the temple. She was made to bear the chilling weather for six hours before being arrested. Though she asked for the reason for arrest the police did not respond, he added.
"What is happening at Sabarimala is violation of human rights. The devotees who come from other states are being driven away from Sabarimala denying them the opportunity to perform Neyyabhishekam. Even elderly people and children are not allowed to take rest after the arduous trek and hours long wait in the queue for darsan. This is a conspiracy to destroy Sabarimala," said SKS patron Swami Chidananda Puri.
He said there was no basic amenities like drinking water, food and toilet facilities at Nilakkal and Pampa. Devotees are stopped and made to wait for long hours.
"Every year around 5.5 crore devotees visit Sabarimala. But with restrictions imposed by the governmet, not even 70 lakh people will be able to complete the pilgrimage. We have formed the units of Karma Samithi in all southern states and if the government continues the adamant stand we will extend the agitation to entire south India," he said.