Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Rajya Sabha member V. Muraleedharan has said that the Kerala High Court should appoint an amicus curiae to assess the present state of affairs at Sabarimala against the backdrop of the alleged harassment of pilgrims and denial of basic facility to them at the pilgrim centre. Mr. Muraleedharan, accompanied by another BJP MP, Naleen Kumar Katteel, was talking to reporters during their visit to Sabarimala on Tuesday.
He accused the Kerala Police of implementing the party agenda of the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist) at Sabarimala, propping up the Supreme Court verdict regarding the women’s entry to the Ayyappa temple as a ploy.
“No devotee has complained of any security issue for them at Sabarimala, so far. In that case, how come the government deploying such a posse of police force at Sabarimala and its base camps?,’’ he said.
The MP further criticised the clamping of prohibitory orders on a pilgrim centre like Sabarimala where pilgrims in groups reach and recite bhajans for hours together as part of their annual pilgrimage to the temple.
Eight held
Meanwhile, Mr. Muraleedharan and Mr. Katteel reached the Sannidhanam police station, later in the evening, seeking clarification from the authorities for the alleged illegal custody of eight persons from Sannidhanam.
The police said the eight persons were taken into custody for violating the assurance given at Nilackal Police Station that they would return after the holy darshan at Sabarimala in the next six hours.
Mr. Muraleedharan said the eight persons had to stay back for offering the Neyyabhishekom to the deity and hence the police action was unfortunate.
The MP said the Police Special Officer at Sannidhanam assured him that he would take enquire into the matter and take necessary steps.
Another pilgrim from Kayamkulam, Renjith, had also been taken into police custody from the Valiya Nadappanthal in suspicious circumstances on Tuesday evening.
Mr. Muraleedharan said the pilgrim was taken into custody for squatting a long time inside the Valiya Nadappanthal, lighting agarbathis. The police said he would be released in consultation with his relatives, later.
The MP alleged that the state of affairs at the pilgrimage centre was really sad and the State government and the Travancore Devaswom Board were solely responsible for that.
