Govt with the devotees, says devaswom minister

Thiruvananthapuram: A day after CPM state committee decided to tone down its stand on Sabari-mala issue, temple affairs minister Kadakampally Surendran said the government was committed to the welfare of devotees and it is interested only in the believers. He said the government was against the vested interests who were looting temples in the name religion.

The minister’s statement hints at CPM and LDF plan to unleash a campaign to expose the right wing Hindu outfits attempt to create misunderstanding among the devotees.

The campaign will expose the claims made by BJP and Sabarimala Karma Samiti that a new law will be framed to protect. It was because of Sangh Parivar propaganda that a section of people who were traditional supporters of the Left decided to vote against the LDF. Now, though the BJP is having a brute majority in Parliament, it has not only stopped speaking about the law on Sabarimlala, the Union law minister made it clear on Floor of Parliament that the Centre cannot circumvent the Supreme Court verdict.

Kadakampally’s reference to “ambala vizhungi” those looting temples, is an attack on the communal outfits who are  desperate to take control of temples and committees associated with religious places for triggering polarisation.

It may be recalled that the state government had taken steps in 2016 to restrict the misuse of temple premises for conducting mass drill and other activities of Sangh Privar organisations.

At that time Kadakampaly had pointed out that various temple committees had informed him about the inconvenience caused to devotees because of the use of lathis in mass drill.

People come to temple to pray in peaceful atmosphere and without any distraction.

But such activities cause many obstacles, it was pointed out by the government.