PATHANAMTHITTA: The Hindu Aikya Vedi has urged the state government to withdraw from the move to come out with new legislation on the Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa temple. It alleged the move would give the government more control over the affairs of the temple and ultimately affect the practices and traditions at the hill shrine.
“The government move is with the ulterior motive to sabotage the ongoing customs and practices of the temple,” Hindu Aikya Vedi vice-president K Haridas told Express. “The government’s vested interests came out in the open during the 2018-2019 pilgrimage season, which still haunt the Ayyappa devotees,” he said.
“The government stance to allow entry of women of all ages to the temple following the Supreme Court verdict failed to translate into votes,” he said.“With the new move, the government aims to not only tighten grip over the administrative affairs of the temple but also to have more say on the ongoing customs and practices of the temple, said Haridas.
He said with the new legislation, the Travancore Devaswom Board will become an institution without any powers. “So, the Hindu Aikya Vedi urge the government to withdraw from the move for a new legislation as that would have far-reaching consequences on the religious freedom of a particular community,” he said.Haridas said if the government moves ahead with the plan to bring in new legislation, the Hindu Aikya Vedi would launch a state-wide agitation.