Published 15:44 IST, November 19th 2018
Sabarimala Row: Kerala High Court attacks state government on excessive security, demands AG's statement
Kerala High Court on Monday asked the AG (Advocate General) to personally appear before the court and explain the need of the extensive police security deployment at the Sabarimala temple shrine.
A day after the massive protest in Sabarimala’s Sannidhanam leading to the arrest of several devotees, Kerala High Court on Monday asked the AG (Advocate General) to personally appear before the court and explain the need of the extensive police security deployment at the temple shrine.
Stating that excessive police intervention is highly ‘unacceptable’, Kerala HC also asserted that while the police were implementing the top court’s order, they cannot have unnecessary police deployment around the temple.
Following the Kerala High Court order, AG of Kerala submitted a letter in the court in which he reasoned the need for heavy security at Sabarimala temple to be the 'attempts being made by political groups to initiate violence in the temple.'
He told the court that there has been a deliberate attempt to instigate violence in Sabarimala by some political parties & groups, due to which the police security was beefed up. He also produced the internal circular of BJP which consisted the names of the BJP functionaries and time assigned to them to create unrest and protest at Sabarimala.
In another incident pertaining to the Sabarimala row, Union Minister KJ Alphons expressed discontent against the Travancore Devaswom Board, which administers the Sabarimala temple, for their inadequacy in preparations for the main season of visit at the temple. He also alleged that there is a lack of basic amenities for the lakhs of devotees who would come to visit the Lord Ayyappa shrine.
“Devotees who come here are mistreated by the ruling government. People who were singing Ayyappa chants were arrested and this is unprecedented. There is no religion or politics when it comes to Sabarimala and BJP doesn't have the necessity to politicize the Sabarimala issue. Police are also behaving as dictators inside temple premises while treating the devotees as terrorists as if they are having weapons with them. They are barring them from their basic rights to pray and perform rituals. If government wants to arrest the devotees, then they should arrest the entire 3.5 crore people of Kerala,” said the Union Minister.
Meanwhile, the situation is under control right now as the police managed to clear the protesting devotees who demanded to stay back for rituals. Heavy police security has been deployed with riot control gears at Sannidhanam. Section 144 has been imposed in the area for the first seven days of the season.
Updated 15:54 IST, November 20th 2018