All India Congress Committee (AICC) common secretary Ok.C. Venugopal, MP, has mentioned that the Left Democratic Entrance (LDF) authorities in Kerala ought to “cease utilizing” Lord Ayyappa of Sabarimala for political features.

In a letter to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Mr. Venugopal identified that organising the Global Ayyappa Sangamam within the identify of defending religion was “nothing however hypocrisy” on the a part of the federal government.

He mentioned that the folks of Kerala had realised the “political motives and the dearth of sincerity” of the Chief Minister, who had as soon as led the violation of traditions at Sabarimala and was now taking cost of the Ayyappa Sangamam. Mr. Venugopal alleged that the Chief Minister couldn’t set foot in Pamba with out answering the questions raised by Kerala society and that he can be “drenched within the weight of repentance.”

“By trying to implement the courtroom verdict on ladies’s entry with out holding discussions with believers, the federal government created a riot-like state of affairs within the State. It has deeply wounded the minds of devotees. It’s contradictory that the very individual answerable for that is now organising the Ayyappa Sangamam within the identify of defending traditions,” Mr. Venugopal mentioned.

The Congress chief mentioned it was shameful to stage “such a farce by taking folks for a journey.”

“Over the previous 9 years, there was no growth within the infrastructure at Sabarimala. The federal government continues to neglect important wants similar to consuming water, cleansing of the Pamba river, crowd administration and transport amenities,” he mentioned, whereas asking how a authorities that “couldn’t even safeguard the gold choices made by devotees to Lord Ayyappa may ever hope to win the belief of the devoted.”

Mr. Venugopal mentioned the Communist Social gathering of India (Marxist)’s [CPI (M)] Devaswom Ministers refusing to bow earlier than Lord Ayyappa itself “confirmed disrespect” in the direction of the religion.

He added that it was by altering the affidavit submitted by the United Democratic Entrance authorities within the Supreme Court docket that the LDF authorities supported the violation of traditions. He requested whether or not the current authorities was prepared to withdraw that affidavit. “On the very least, is the federal government able to withdraw the instances filed towards those that carried out the namajapa processions?” he requested.

Mr. Venugopal puzzled whether or not the Ayyappa Sangamam was a sign of the CPI(M) “deviating from its dialectical materialism” and mocked whether or not this stance would change once more after the Meeting elections.

He additionally demanded that the Chief Minister, “who had insulted” the Sabarimala Thanthri who protested towards ladies’s entry, ought to “a minimum of now be able to apologise.”