KOZHIKODE: Swami Chidanandapuri of Kolathur Advaitha Ashrama has been instrumental in taking up the cause of believers in Sabarimala, besides criticising the state government on the same. In an interview to TNIE, Chidanandapuri, who is also the president of the Sabarimala Karma Samiti, says people should definitely discuss Sabarimala as the comes into the limelight again ahead of the elections. Excerpts.
How do you view Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran’s comment that Sabarimala was a painful event?
Kadakampally’s statement was just an election stunt. His remarks were disowned by both his party general secretary and the chief minister. It wasn’t a genuine pain that came from inside.
Has the Sabarimala issue been raked up deliberately to confuse people for votes?
People should definitely discuss Sabarimala. This government and the CPM have done injustice to Hindu believers. Besides the Sabarimala issue, the government took `5 crore from the Guruvayur Devaswom Board during the flood, violating the Devaswom Board Act. Again, when Covid-19 struck, another `5 crore was taken. The High Court had cancelled both these serious violations. Further, this government tried to snatch the land of temples reasoning that barren land should be made cultivable. Both the government and the party have hurt the sentiments of Hindus.
Isn’t pooling money to contain unprecedented challenges like flood and pandemic the duty of a government?
Definitely. The government and society should help those in distress. But not at the expense of rules. If the rule says the fund donated by devotees should be taken only for temple purposes, how come the government breach it? The Guruvayur Devaswom Board didn’t give money to the government. The government has taken it. Both are different.
Do you think any Left CM other than Pinarayi Vijayan would have dealt with Sabarimala differently?
Certainly. We have seen many Left CMs including C Achutha Menon and P K Vasudevan Nair. They would have consulted all stakeholders before implementing the SC verdict, and not jumped into it unilaterally and hastily.
The government has withdrawn cases related to Sabarimala protests.
Why would the government withdraw cases? They won’t stand in any court of law. The government has also withdrawn cases related to anti-CAA protests. So, again, the balancing act.
What is the major issue worth discussing in this election?
I found weakening of the federal system a huge concern. Federalism is the strength of the country. Both the ruling front and the opposition joined hands twice in the state assembly to bring in resolutions against the Citizens (Amendment) Act and Farmers’ bills which were approved and duly signed by the President of India. The BJP too joined hands against the farmers’ bill. This tendency will lead to disintegration.
There is no visible anti-incumbency and there is a narrative the government protected people during hard times.
Distribution of kits or any freebies are not the parameters of development. Development should be comprehensive. More than 50 per cent of the money for the essential kit was borne by the central government. The development visible in terms of roads and infrastructure are mostly the work of the Centre.
Both the BJP and the CPM have alleged that the IUML is dominating the UDF. Does that weaken the UDF?
Even Muslim leaders with a nation-centric outlook have been sidelined within the IUML. The visit of IUML candidate K N A Khader to the Guruvayur temple has not gone down well with a majority of Muslims.
How do you see BJP’s growth here?
I am not a part of the BJP. But I see an excellent crop of leaders in the BJP candidate list. The Kerala psyche is deeply engrossed in ‘My Kerala’, a psychological situation cut from the ‘My India’ approach. That was entrenched by the Left cultural sphere over time. Unless that changes, the BJP will not match the other two fronts.