New Delhi/Kochi: Union Minister KJ Alphons today lashed out at the Kerala government for turning the Sabarimala Temple complex into a "war zone" and lack of facilities at the Lord Ayyappa shrine even as police detained 68 people from the complex in the early hours for holding protests. Protests are being held across Kerala against the detention of the 70 persons even as the BJP demanded a judicial probe into the police action.
"The state government has turned the temple complex into a war zone. The devotees are not militants, they are pilgrims. What was the need to declare Section 144 at Sabarimala," Mr Alphons asked.
The sanctum sanctorum of the Lord Ayyappa Temple opened today morning with very few devotees turning up early.
Sixty-eight persons had been taken into preventive custody from the temple complex and brought to the Manniyar camp early this morning.Their details are being verified and their arrests have not been recorded yet.
Yesterday, the Kerala unit of the BJP and Congress held protests outside the official residence of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in Thiruvananthapuram.
Meanwhile, the Travancore Devaswom Board, which manages the Sabarimala shrine, has approached the Supreme Court seeking more time to implement its September order that removed a ban on women of menstruating age entering the Sabarimala temple in Kerala.
Here are the LIVE updates on the developments on Sabarimala:
Nov 19, 2018 15:31 (IST)
Union Minister KJ Alphons accused the Left-led state government of running a "dictatorship" and ignoring his recommendations made after a couple of earlier visits. "This is like Stalin-era in Soviet Union... they are determined to say you don't have the right to faith. They want to make sure that pilgrims who come don't have basic facilities," Mr Alphons told NDTV.
Nov 19, 2018 13:37 (IST)
The quaint temple town Sabarimala in Kerala has witnessed protests by Hindu groups since the September 28 when the Supreme Court allowed women of all ages to enter the temple that hitherto banned girls and women aged between 10 and 50. The top court on November 13 refused to stay that verdict. While the Kerala government is trying hard to see that the top court verdict is implemented, the BJP/RSS, sangh parivar forces and the Congress-led United Democratic Front are up in arms against violation of the temple tradition.
Nov 19, 2018 13:19 (IST)
Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee chief Mullapally Ramachandran attacked the Pinarayi Vijayan-led Left government in the state and blamed the chief minister "solely" for the Sabarimala row. "The CM is solely responsible for this chaos. Didn't he know that these law and order issues will unfold?" Mr Ramachandran said. He also called out the Kerala Police's "high-handedness" in "manhandling" Lord Ayyappa devotees in the temple town.
Nov 19, 2018 13:06 (IST)
KP Sasikala, the state president of Hindu Aikya Vedi, has reached Sannidhnam or the inner courtyard of the Sabarimala temple. She was arrested on Saturday for trying to create law and order problems. Her arrest had led to protests across the state.
Nov 19, 2018 12:04 (IST)
KP Sasikala, the state president of Hindu Aikya Vedi, arrives at Sabarimala. She was arrested on Saturday for trying to create law and order problems. Her arrest had led to protests across the state.
Nov 19, 2018 11:13 (IST)
Union Minister KJ Alphons, who arrived at Nilackal, the base camp of the Sabarimala hill shrine, today morning, told reporters, "The state government has turned the temple complex into a war zone. The devotees are not militants, they are pilgrims." "What was the need to declare Section 144 at Sabarimala," news agency PTI quoted Mr Alphons. The minister's visit comes hours after the late night developments in Sabarimala when hundred-odd devotees held protests while chanting "nama japam" (chanting in the name of Lord Ayyappa) yesterday.
Nov 19, 2018 08:47 (IST)
The Sabarimala temple had opened on Friday for the third time in a month for the two-month long pilgrim season.