Hindu Outfits Organise Ayyappa Samrakshana Sangamam at Pandalam
Annamalai urged the LDF Government under Pinarayi Vijayan to withdraw its Supreme Court affidavit allowing women aged 10 to 50 into the Sabarimala shrine and to drop cases filed against thousands of devotees during the 2018 Sabarimala agitation.
Thiruvananthapuram: Sangh organisations, including Sabarimala Karma Samithi, Hindu Aikya Vedi and other Sangh Parivar groups, organised Sabarimala Samrakshana Sangamam of Ayyappa devotees at Pandalam in Kerala's Pathanamthitta district on Monday.
Former BJP Tamil Nadu state president K Annamalai, who inaugurated the meeting, criticised Kerala's communist government for organising the Sangamam in Pampa on Saturday, calling them atheists opposed to Sanatana Dharma.
He stated, "The faith of millions cannot be sacrificed at the drama of political theatrics staged by the Communists and their DMK allies ahead of the polls. It is time for a decisive political change in the state to protect Sanatana Dharma."
Annamalai urged the LDF Government under Pinarayi Vijayan to withdraw its Supreme Court affidavit allowing women aged 10 to 50 into the Sabarimala shrine and to drop cases filed against thousands of devotees during the 2018 Sabarimala agitation.
Tejaswi Surya, MP, criticised the LDF government for misleading believers, remarking on the strangeness of sworn atheists now attempting to appear religious. He mocked the Ayyappa Sangamam held at Pampa, noting the empty chairs as evidence of devotees boycotting the event. "Look at the atmosphere here - this is the true Sangamam of believers," he said.
The organisers described the Sangamam at Pandalam as a grand success. The event included two sessions: a discussion on faith development and security, and a public meeting of devotees in the evening.
The Sangh Parivar's Ayyappa Samrakshna Sangamam was notable as it occurred two days after the Global Ayyappa Sangamam organised by the Travancore Devaswom Board to commemorate its platinum jubilee. The Sangamam was inaugurated by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
The critics of the LDF government accused the CPM of holding the meeting with an eye on the local bodies poll to be held in a couple of months and the crucial assembly elections early next year. The Devaswom Minister V N Vasavan countered the charge, saying that the meet was aimed at making Sabarimala a global pilgrimage destination.
The TDB meet had received the support from major community organisations, including the SNDP, NSS, KPMS and several other religious and social organisations.