Sabarimala: Surprise at BJP protest

Thiruvananthapuram: Grandfather M.M. Lawrence is not amused by his grandson doing something he considers as sacrilegious. The boy, Milan Emmanuel Lawrence, a Plus-Two student of an Open School here, attended the BJP protest against the police crackdown on the Sabarimala agitators held near the DGP’s office on Tuesday.

To the consternation of Mr M.M. Lawrence, veteran CPM leader and former LDF convener, it was Asha, his daughter and mother of Milan, who dropped the boy at the venue of the day-long fast undertaken by BJP state president P. S. Sreedharan Pillai. Milan told reporters that he supported the BJP protest on the Sabarimala issue. He had not yet decided on entering politics. "I wanted to be a part of this protest," he said.

Asked whether his family members knew about it, he said it was his choice.

A jubilant Sreedharan Pillai said that even Milan’s mother would have attended the protest but for the fact that she is a government school teacher.

"Milan has not joined the party. His mother is a government employee and if she had attended the protest in solidarity, she would have faced issues," said Mr Pillai.

Mr Lawrence told reporters in Kochi that he knew about Milan's appearance at the BJP protest venue only through media reports.

"He is not mature enough to understand the seriousness of the issue. It is unfortunate that he attended the event,” he said.