The BJP alleged on Wednesday that the coalition government in the State is following a “dual policy” in handling controversial issues.
Addressing press persons, C.T. Ravi, general secretary, State unit of the party, alleged that the State government watched silently when writers K.S. Bhagawan and Yogesh Master, Prof. B.P. Maheshchandra Guru publicly ‘insulted’ Hindu Gods, the Bhagwad Gita, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Swami Vivekananda. None of them have been arrested for their comments that hurt religious sentiments. But the government arrested columnist Santosh Thammaiah on Monday night on the charge of hurting religious sentiments by speaking on the actions of Tipu Sultan.
He said that the government has banned Maoist activities in the country. But, the government did not arrest writer Girish Karnad when he appeared in public holding a placard that said ‘me too urban Naxal’, he said.
“All these show the dual policy of the coalition government,” Mr. Ravi alleged.
He said that the BJP would stand by the columnist and support him in fighting the case registered against him.
Referring to the Sabarimala issue, he said that the BJP welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision on Tuesday to hear review petitions in open court against its majority judgment, which lifted a ban on women aged between 10 and 50 years from undertaking the pilgrimage to the temple. But, he did not understand why the court did not stay its earlier order as the temple re-opens on November 16 evening for Mandala pooja and closes on January 20 after the Makarasankranthi festival, Mr. Ravi said. He said that the Kerala government should apprise the court that the issue did not came under the purview of equality to women.
Mr. Ravi said that many other Ayyappa temples in the country have not banned the entry of women. There are restrictions on the entry of women in the ‘moola sthana’ of the temple at Sabarimala due to specific reasons, he said.
Nalin Kumar Kateel, MP, Sanjeeva Matandoor, MLA, Puttur and president of Dakshina Kannada unit of the party were present.
