Temples in Kerala to be freed from Sangh Pariwar sponsored arms training

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The move to draft an order to ban weapon/sports training in temples under devaswom boards opens a new war front between govt and Sangh Pariwar

A new war front between the state government and Sangh Pariwar is in the offing with the former drafting an order to ban weapon and sports training in temples under Devaswom boards.

The order prepared by the Devaswom Department targets the RSS, that conducts shakhas mostly on temple premises. Devaswom Minister’s office said the order would not name any organisation but will ban weapon training, drill and assembly for non-spiritual purposes on temple premises.

The order was vetted by the Law Department and will be issued this week after a final clearance by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran had earlier said the government had received complaints from the public against the RSS for storing weapons in temples.

He had also claimed that arms training as part of sakhas were keeping people away from temples.

The order will be applicable for temples under the Travancore Devaswom Board, Cochin Devaswom Board, Malabar Devaswom Board and the Guruvayur Devaswom Board. These boards together have nearly 3,000 shrines under their fold.

Technically, RSS sakha on the premises of any temple is illegal as per the provisions of Kerala Police Act 2011 which provides for action against those conducting or facilitating self-defence training without valid licence.

The order virtually puts the onus on devaswom  board officials to prevent such illegal activities.