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issue will help the BJP electorally and to attack on the judiciary by the opposi- “The statement that women should
what extent. tion leaders. Shah listed out previous not be allowed entry clearly shows that
The whole controversy and the fast- judgments that were not implement- they (BJP) stand for the male hegemony.
paced developments in the temple ed that included jallikattu, prohibit- I wish to state that this government was
town have exposed the state govern- ing loudspeakers in mosques and said elected by the people and not with the
ment’s complete failure in implement- impractical directions should not be help or support of the BJP. People who
ing the Supreme Court order. For the given by the courts. support democracy should come out
present the temple is closed after five Amit Shah also had an advice to the against this statement,” the Kerala chief
days, as is the practice and the temple Kerala s chief minister. “You concen- minister said.
will open again next month. It remains trate on developing the state rather The BJP president had lamented
to be seen if the government comes out than attacking the Ayyappa bhakts,” that the state of Kerala was under an
with a concrete plan to implement the he said and warned him that “we emergency. “The state is under anoth-
court orders or gives in to the increas- will not hesitate to pull down the er emergency. Even women are not
ing pressure from the devotees. government.” spared and they are getting arrested
BJP chief Amit Shah attacked the Kerala Chief Minister Pinarai Vi- late at night,” he said.
CPM led Left Front state government jayan hit back strongly saying that we Responding to the BJP chief’s threats,
saying it was playing with fire by are an elected government, elected by the Kerala CM said: “It is a democrati-
applying brute force on devotees cally elected government. We came to
and declared that the BJP will stand power, not due to Amit Shah’s largesse.
firmly with the devotees. His remarks BJP has directed He is threatening the government for
over the SC verdict that it should trying to implement the order of the
refrain from giving judgments on its party men to highest court of the country.”
There is a big conspiracy to turn the
issues of faith were construed as an work with and sacred temple into a war zone, the chief
• Protest politics BJP plans to hold protests support all protest minister told media persons after the
over the issue in other South Indian states too movements and temple closed till next month.
“The RSS is responsible for the vio-
also try to woo lence that the state has never witnessed
the two powerful before... It is desperate to gain a foothold
and resorting to dirty tricks of every
communities, kind,” the chief minister said, adding it
the Nairs and the is sad that the Congress had also parked
itself on the RSS side.
backward Ezhavas, None of the 12 women who tried to
who together form enter the temple was prevented by the
protesters, despite security given to the
54 per cent of women.
For the present, there is calm before
Kerala population the storm in Kerala as the temple reo-
pens next month. It remains to be seen
as to how the government deals with
the people of the state. Instead, the BJP the situation and tackles the protesters
should try to win seats, he said. But he so far, clearly it has failed. With the BJP
took serious exception to the BJP presi- declaring to step up the ante, Sabari-
dent’s comments on the court verdict. mala and Kerala will continue to be in
The CM wrote in his Facebook post, “His news for a long time to come.
statement that the apex court should For the BJP it is Ram Mandir in
pronounce verdicts that are imple- North India and Sabarimala in South
mentable is nothing but a challenge to India that it thinks could help it elector-
the various rights that the Constitution ally. The Congress reflects its confused
guarantees.” stance with its chief going temple hop-
“This clearly shows what’s on the ping, it is unable to take a firm stand
mind of Shah is the same that’s there in on Sabarimala.
the minds of the Sangh parivar forces,”
the Kerala CM said. letters@tehelka.com

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