THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Congress leaders Mullappally Ramachandran and Ramesh Chennithala will hold discussions with the party high command — read Rahul Gandhi — in New Delhi to convince him about the party’s stand on the Sabarimala issue.
While the AICC had welcomed the Supreme Court verdict allowing women of all ages to enter the Sabarimala temple, the party high command had called upon the party’s state unit to act judiciously in the matter.
It was Opposition leader Chennithala and Congress working president K Sudhakaran who had come out in the open for the first time in support of the protection of the rituals and customs of the hill shrine. KPCC president Mullappally also opined that the Congress is for protecting the customs and rituals of Sabarimala. However, the party is caught in a bind as women in large numbers — many from outside the state — try to enter the hill shrine on the basis of the Supreme Court judgment.
“The Congress is for protecting the rituals and customs of Sabarimala, but we are not for opposing women who are going to Sabarimala for darshan,” explained Chennithala.
In several parts of the state, Congress workers and local leaders were seen rubbing shoulders with the BJP and RSS leaders in the Sabarimala Nama Japa protest marches. When asked about that, Chennithala said, “Congress workers have participated in the Nama Japa Yatra programmes, which do not have any flag. These programmes are not organised by either the RSS nor the BJP but the general public and I don’t find anything wrong in devotees participating in such programmes.” Added Mullappally, “Protecting the rituals and customs of the temple does not mean we are on a confrontation path. We won’t object to female devotees going to the temple.”
According to Congress spokesman Randeep Singh Surjewala, “In the Sabarimala issue, the law is based on the Supreme Court verdict and the party’s state leadership is supporting the local sentiments.”
This is a clear indication that the party leadership is totally confused. Meanwhile, the BJP leadership rubbished the Congress claims and alleged that the party is only trying to fool the world into believing that it is with the Ayyappa devotees.
“The Congress does not have any stand on the issue. It is trying to run with the hare and hunt with the hound. It has always been taking such a stand and its leaders are never bold enough to come out with their support for the devotees,” alleged BJP state president Sreedharan Pillai.
With the issue turning into a law and order situation and the police dismantling protesters’ sheds in Nilakkal, the Congress party has to immediately rework its strategy.