IDUKKI: The Idukki district police on Wednesday prevented the Hindu Aikya Vedi (HAV) activists and their state president P K Sasikala from entering Panchalimedu to protest against the crosses installed by St Mary’s Church, Kanayankavayal on the land allegedly owned by Dewaswom Board. When the police blocked the activists at the entrance gate, the activists held a Namajapa protest at the entrance.
HAV activists alleged that the land which is part of Ponnambalamedu, a hilltop east of Sannidanam, is owned by Devaswom Board and the church had encroached the land. It is learnt that the Travancore Devaswom Board had taken over the Bhuvaneswari Temple at Panchalimedu along with the 22 acres land on September 24, 2013 after a gazette notification announcing the acquisition of land.
Meanwhile, Idukki RDO MP Vinod told the Express that the land was not part of Ponnambalamedu and the area extending over 50 acres, where the crosses and the temple dedicated to Bhuvaneswari stands, is fully owned by the Revenue department. “The temple and the crosses have been there for more than half a century. If the land has to be reclaimed, both the crosses and the temple should be removed,” he said.
Although as many as 14 concrete crosses have been there at Panchalimedu since 1954 before the Land Reformation Act was passed. The Bhuvaneshwari temple nearby has also been there for the past several years. The controversy erupted recently when the church authorities installed three new wooden crosses during the way of the cross procession last Good Friday.
External forces trying to break religious harmony
Idukki: The Bhuvaneswari temple committee of Panchalimedu on Wednesday alleged that some outside forces were unnecessarily creating issues at Panchalimedu, where people have been living harmoniously with their respective religious practices. “There occurred an issue and it has now been solved, but some people are trying to worsen the situation. However, the temple committee will not cooperate with them,” said K S Sanu, a temple committee member.