Chennai: Accusing the BJP of whipping up communal passions in Sabarimala for electoral gains, CPI (M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury Friday demanded to know why the Centre was not applying the yardstick of equal treatment of women it had used on the triple talaq issue to the Sabarimala row.
Roughing up of women journalists and the violent groups wearing saffron head bands at Sabarimala indicated a pattern seen during the demolition of Babri masjid (1992), Yechury told reporters here, blaming the RSS for it.
Women journalists forming part of television crew were roughed up and "it is exactly the pattern, which is also very similar at the time of Babri masjid demolition...you have the heads of volunteers wearing saffron bands (leading protests)," Yechury said.
Such scenes had unfolded during the Babri protests and a "similar thing is done here; it is an organised thing that the RSS is doing and that will be fought," he said, while declaring that the RSS would "lose the Sabarimala battle".
Asked if the Marxist-led Left Democratic Front government in Kerala would oppose review pleas on Sabarimala issue before the Supreme Court, he said it was for the government to answer.
In a historic judgment last month, the Supreme Court had lifted the ban on entry of girls and women of menstrual age into the Sabarimala Ayyappa shrine.
Citing the Centre's advisory to Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka to take precautionary measures in view of some Hindu outfits planning protests, Yechury said law and order was being maintained by the Kerala government. "Those disturbing law and order will be dealt with; they are being dealt with," he said.
He said the Centre had recently promulgated an ordinance making triple talaq illegal saying the practice constituted unequal treatment of women."The government did that saying equality of men and women is fundamental to our Constitution and that it should be protected. Same principle why they are not applying for Sabarimala?" the Marxist leader asked.
His party had taken a stand against triple talaq for its "arbitrary use and instant application so we said that needs to be reformed."
The Centre still has the option of going in for a legislation or ordinance to circumvent the apex court verdict on Sabarimala "if they are really interested," the way it did for the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, he said.
However, "the real point here is to whip up communal polarisation with the hope that it will get some political and electoral benefit," he said.
Accusing the BJP of playing the "worst form of vote bank politics," Yechury said "they are seeking the consolidation of Hindutva communal vote bank at the expense of destroying our social harmony, unity and integrity of our country and this is very dangerous."
He accused the BJP and Congress in Kerala, of "duplicity" on the Sabarimala issue, pointing out that both reversed positions after initially welcoming the Supreme Court verdict.
Yechury said the state-wise electoral strategy (for the Lok Sabha 2019 election) would be worked out as per the recent central committee resolve to defeat BJP and its allies, strengthen the CPI(M) and the Left in Parliament and work for an alternate secular government at the Centre.
The Muslim Women Protection of Rights on Marriage- Ordinance was promulgated last month and a Bill in this regard was passed by Lok Sabha last year and is now pending in the Rajya Sabha.
