Apex court not impediment to bring law, says Kadakampally Surendran

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Devaswom minister Kadampally Surendran on Friday said the apex court case was not an impediment in bringing legislation on Sabarimala or issuing an ordinance.

At a press conference here, the minister said the LDF government had all along pointed out that Centre should bring a legislation to provide legal protection for customs and rituals.

“The Modi government needs to take the matter seriously and on priority. Instead of misguiding, misleading believers and pushing them on to the roads, the BJP should take immediate steps to protect customs,” he said.

Taking a dig at the BJP and Sangh Parivar, the minister said; “They claim to be champions of protection of customs and beliefs. Why are they shying away from bring a law,”he asked.

On the private member’s bill introduced by RSP MP N.K. Premachandran, the minister said everyone knew want fate awaited the bill. His intention seems to just discharge his responsibility and say “Look I tried but it didn’t happen.”

The minister said as far as the state government was concerned, it believed in rule of law. It is the constitutional responsibility of a democratically elected government to enforce law of the land and it would go ahead with it.

When asked as to why the state government was not intervening in the issue, the minister shot back; “How can a state government take a decision on a verdict given by a constitutional bench.”