THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The BJP has decided to call off the indefinite fast being held before the secretariat on the Sabarimala issue on Saturday, the 48th day of the event.
Since the Supreme Court has postponed hearing the review petitions and writ petitions on the Sabarimala controversy, the state leadership decided to end the protest on the day the Sabarimala temple closes this season. The Sabarimala agitation led by the BJP had whipped up tensions in the state, including hartal shutdowns and the self -immolation of Venugopalan Nair, 49, in front of the secretariat.
The fasts were undertaken by BJP state general secretary A. N. Radhakrishnan, former state president C. K. Padmanabhan, state general secretary Sobha Surendran, vice-presidents N. Sivarajan and P. M. Velayudhan and finally V. T. Rema, president of state Mahila Morcha.
A party source told DC that a massive convention of Ayyappa devotees will be held at Putharikandam grounds at 4 p.m. on next Sunday. Around two lakh Ayyappa devotees from Kottayam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram districts will take part in the 'Nama Japam.'
Hence there is no point in continuing the indefinite fast before the secretariat," said the source.
The party cadres feel that if BJP national president Amit Shah had visited Sabarimala, the protest would have achieved a different dimension.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to address a meeting in Palakkad on January 27.
