Kottayam: Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran's recent statement on women's entry to Sabarimala Swamy Ayyappa Temple days before the state government is organizing the wall for women's empowerment has caused confusion among CPM cadre.
A section in the party points out that the Devaswom Minister's stand that the government has no interest in allowing entry of women to the shrine is contrary to the official position that the wall is meant to ensure the rights of women. Many party members say that it would be difficult to explain such anti-women statements to the people.
Kadakampally made the controversial statement during a news meet at Sabarimala. “Nobody needs to entertain an assumption that women’s entry to the temple is not taking place as a few miscreants are blocking their path in the guise of devotees. In fact, this government has no real intention to enable women to reach the shrine. But do not consider this as a sign of arrogance. The real reason is the government’s lack of interest in the matter and this stand has been reiterated on several occasions,” he said.
But other CPM leaders and cadre say that the minister's statement could be misinterpreted as a shift in the government's official position on the issue.
Party circles say that it is an irony that while the government is supporting the Supreme Court order, the minister in charge of temple affairs speaks against the move.
Meanwhile, the opposition parties have alleged that the government is enacting a ‘sponsored drama’ by taking women some way up the hill and bringing them back. The minister's statement will give credence to such criticism. Opposition parties have also expressed doubts over the way ‘Manithi’ members reached Pamba in a private vehicle evading the tight security at Nilakkal.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had said at a meeting organized to discuss the women's wall during the first week of December that no move to denigrate women would be tolerated. But Kadakampally’s statement that the government has no intention to allow women’s entry to Sabarimala temple is an act of discrimination against women, it is felt.
When his statement sparked a row, Kadakampally came out with a clarification on Facebook. “The government, in fact, does not intend to take women to the shrine using force. The safety and security of thousands of pilgrims arriving at the shrine also rest with the government. I have only repeated these facts yet again. The position of the government as well as the party has been stated explicitly by the chief minister and the party secretary. There is absolutely no contradiction in this regard,” says the minister.
He goes on to say that, “This government had welcomed the Supreme Court judgment allowing women of all ages to pray at Sabarimala Tample. Moreover, the government is constitutionally bound to obey the court order.”
“However, the BJP-RSS leadership is making an attempt to unleash riots by using women and children as pawns,” he adds.
Kadakampally further says that attempts are being made to misquote his statements to give the impression that he has a different stand on the issue.
