CPM Disrespecting State’s Culture Over Sabarimala: Modi in Kerala

“Unfortunately, the cultural ethos of Kerala is under attack,” said PM Modi.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, 27 January trained guns at the Communist Party of India - Marxist (CPI(M)) in Kerala and said that the state government was disrespecting every aspect of Kerala’s culture over the issue of the Sabarimala temple.

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, 27 January trained guns at the Communist Party of India - Marxist (CPI(M)) in Kerala and said that the state government was disrespecting every aspect of Kerala’s culture over the issue of the Sabarimala temple, ANI reported.

“The issue of the Sabarimala temple has caught the attention of the entire nation.The people of India are seeing the manner in which the Communist government of Kerala are disrespecting all aspects of Kerala’s culture,” PM Modi said while addressing a rally in Thrissur.

“Unfortunately, the cultural ethos of Kerala is under attack. It's been done by party which is governing the state,” he added.

Since it opened for the Mandalam-Makaravilakku festivities on 17 November, the shrine has witnessed massive protests by right-wing outfits against the Kerala government's decision to implement the Supreme Court's 28 September 2018 verdict, opening its doors to women of all ages to offer prayers.

Traditionally, girls and women in the menstruating age group of 10-50 years were barred from offering prayers at the shrine, the presiding deity of which is "Naishtika Brahmachari" (perennially celibate).

The state government told the Supreme Court earlier this month that 51 women in the previously barred age group had come to Sabarimala through virtual queue booking.

The temple shut on 20 January, bringing to close the two-month-long pilgrimage season which witnessed unprecedented protests from frenzied devotees over the entry of young women, following the top court's verdict.

The Pinarayi Vijayan-led state government and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been at loggerheads over the issue. Vijayan, in the past, has blamed the BJP-RSS for creating unrest in the state over the issue and said that the government is only following the orders of the apex court.