KOCHI: The Kerala government today told the High Court here that it does not propose to conduct any kind of probe into whether the light visible from the Sabarimala shrine was a celestial phenomenon or man-made as the issue is a matter of faith for millions of devotees.
The official submission came in response to the High Court's query earlier seeking to know if 'Makara Jyothi' was man-made and the difference between it and 'Makara Vilakku' in the wake of the Pullumedu stampede that claimed the lives of 102 Sabarimala pilgrims.
The tragedy occurred on January 14 when devotees had gathered in large numbers to witness the 'Makara Jyothi', a beacon that fleetingly appears at dusk, marking the culmination of the two-month 'Makara Vilakku' season from mid-November.
The government pleader made the submission before a Division bench comprising Justices Thothathil B Radhakrishnan and P S Gopinath, when three petitions, including that of Rationalists Association came up.
The pleader said Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan has already stated that the government does not want to hold any probe into the issue relating to 'Makara Jyothi' and 'Makara Vilakku.'
He referred to media reports quoting Achuthanandan as saying that the government was not going to such a probe as the issue was a matter of faith for millions.
Meanwhile, since the matter was of public interest, the Devaswom bench, which monitors affairs relating to the shrine, posted the three petitions before Chief Justice J Chelameswar for further hearing.
The Travancore Devaswom Board manages the Sabarimala temple's affairs.
While Sreekumar, a former Melsanthi (Priest) wanted a judicial probe into the tragedy, another petitioner did not want a probe.
The Rationalist Association did not want government machinery to be involved in the lighting of 'Makara Vilakku'.
Kantraru Maheswararu, the chief priest of Sabarimala temple, had said after the stampede that the debate was generated only to divert attention from the tragedy.
"Makara Jyothi is the celestial star Siries and 'Makara Vilakku' a symbolic deeparadhana (aarthi) lit at Ponnamabelamedu," he had said.