Oommen Chandy, Kodiyeri Balakrishnan train guns on Kummanam Rajasekharan

Chandy said Kummanam was making statements aimed at dividing people on communal lines. He was reacting to the BJP state president’s statement that all non Hindus running shops or petty business in temple premises should be evicted. The respective temple committees can take decision on evictions.

The chief minister said if there were practical problems in allowing people of other religious faiths to do business in temple premises then the matter could be looked into. But the state expected a mature position from the BJP leadership, he said.

Chandy said the state had a rich tradition of people of all faiths living in harmony and with mutual respect. Christian and Muslim families used to provide oil and jaggery to temples in the Travancore and Malabar region. This tradition was still being followed in many temples.

CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan has said that BJP in the state had turned into RSS voice in the state. He said attempts were being made to turn temples into RSS karyalayas.

There is a concerted attempt from Sangh Parivar outfits to polarise the state on religious lines. The recent RSS meet in Kannur had laid a roadmap for polarising the state.

The move to evict all non Hindus doing petty business in temple premises, is a serious issue which needs to be countered effectively to safeguard the secular fabric of the state, he said.

BJP state president Kummanam Rajashekharan has denied the statement regarding eviction of non Hindus doing business in temple premises which was attributed to him.

In his Facebook page, Kummanam said that the statement attributed to him was totally baseless. "First they run a false campaign through Deshabhimani and then responsible leaders present thee lies before the people,” he said.

He said the decision as to who should do business in the premises of a religious place was left to the people or administration which governs that place. This practice has been followed since ages, he added.

Referring to the allegations levelled by CPM on the RSS baithak held in Kannur, he said the reports published in Deshabhimani was white lie. No such decisions had been taken at that meeting .

The CPM has been resorting to such propaganda through its publications and news channels since the meeting took place in Kannur last month.

“There is nothing new. The Marxists don’t hesitate to spread lies against their political rivals and this has been there character all these years,” he added.

Kummanam said the CPM was jittery because of the growth of BJP and the mass support that the party was receiving from the masses.

They are trying to create rift between communities ahead of Assembly polls with vested political and electoral interests.