KOCHI: It hardly takes much time for a development to attain political dimension in Kerala and the Ramayana Masacharanam (observation of Ramayana month) at Sree Poornathrayeesa Temple in Tripunithura is the latest. After CPM MLA M Swaraj delivered a speech as part of the event, a section of devotees flayed him as well as organisers by recalling the remarks he had made on Lord Ayyappa when the Sabarimala women’s entry issue was being hotly debated in the state. Swaraj dismissed it as an RSS-driven controversy. The organisers had cancelled one such session by local pastor Sam Kudilinkal on August 8 following a protest.
“We should be able to say ‘No’ to anarchy, killings and all vices. It’s about achieving that state of mind when we feel the pain of a wounded bird as our own,” said Swaraj, while concluding his speech. The 18-minute speech, ‘Ramayanathinte Nalvazhikal’, was devoid of any controversial remarks, but the protesting devotees were not too impressed with him using the platform of the temple. The CPM has associated itself with many temple events in the past and Swaraj’s latest move is significant as it comes after the party backtracked on its stance on allowing young women entry into the Sabarimala temple.
Also, because the local body elections could happen this year and assembly elections in a year’s time. “The CPM doesn’t want to make political mileage out of such an event,” said party Tripunithura area committee secretary P Vasudevan. In the wake of Covid-19 curbs, the temple advisory committee, which organises the event in the Malayalam month of Karkkidakom every year, has been telecasting speeches by invitees from July 16 through its Facebook page. The list of speakers included Aswathy Thirunal Gowri Lakshmi Bhai, former CPI state secretary Pannyan Raveendran, former BJP state president Kummanam Rajasekharan, ex-DGP Alexander Jacob and writer-critic M N Karassery.
Temple advisory committee president Prakash Iyer ruled out the decision to bring Swaraj on board was political. “Swaraj’s speech earned close to 1.30 lakh views on Facebook alone which shows the command he has on the subject. We’ve been inviting him for our various programmes and events. After his speech here, people are criticising him by recalling his comments on Sabarimala. We’re a committee which sticks to democratic values and focuses solely on Poornathrayeesa temple and not Sabarimala. We feel people outside Tripunithura are behind the controversy, which is unwarranted. We won’t compromise on our stance,” Iyer said.
Vasudevan added: “It’s simple. Swaraj honoured the temple advisory committee’s invitation and delivered the speech. He was not doing it for the first time. If it’s still being made a controversy, there is politics behind it because Swaraj has been speaking brilliantly on behalf of the government on various platforms, especially on television channels, nowadays.”
Swaraj said he did not understand why he was singled out when a lot of politicians from different parties had spoken at the event. “I’m the MLA (of the area) and I’ve attended many events at the temple. I don’t believe the real devotees are behind the controversy. It’s the work of the RSS, which wants to take control of the temples. It won’t work because the temples belong to the devotees,” said Swaraj. “And if my remarks on Sabarimala are the problem, then first understand who Pushkala and Poorna are before attacking me,” Swaraj told TNIE.