In counter to Kerala govt’s Sabarimala meet, Sangh groups to hold their own ‘sangamam’

Roughly 32 km from Pamba, the Sangh convention will be at Pandalam – the headquarters of the erstwhile royal family which has a distinct say in the temple’s rituals and traditions. In 2018, the agitations against the entry of young women began at Pandalam.

SKS general convener SJR Kumar said their sangamam vies to protect the traditions of the Sabarimala. “The CPI(M) government’s global Ayyappa sangamam is a political encroachment into the temple’s affairs. The government’s sangamam is a challenge to the Hindu faithful,’’ Kumar said.

He added that the SKS had taken the decision on September 3, but hasn’t yet finalised the participants and the day’s proceedings. “It will have devotees from across India. The government is conducting a meeting of the rich and will divide the devotees based on their size of the pocket. Our sangamam is meant for true devotees and will discuss the development of the hill shrine. We are also watching how the government event will be unfolding,’’ he said.

BJP was the first to speak up against the state government’s global Ayyappa sangamam, but lost a bit of their steam after prominent Hindu organisations – NSS and SNDP Yogam – toed the state government’s line. The September 20 event is held in connection with the 75th anniversary of the Travancore Devaswom Board.

Joining hands with the SKS’s protection sangamam, BJP national executive member Kummanam Rajasekharan on Thursday met with the Pandalam royal family members to win their support.

A member of the royal family said, “We have not taken any decision on attending the Sangh Parivar event. Our family is an integral part of the Sabarimala temple and its rituals. If we are invited to the proposed government event, we have to go. We are not part of any politics in this and do not want to create a chasm in society over this.”

Kerala Hindu Aikya Vedi president RV Babu said, “We are questioning the political agenda of the government behind the conduct of the sangamam. Let the government apologise for the entry of young women at the temple. Why is the government not ready to withdraw the cases registered against devotees during the Sabarimala protest of 2018? The government has withdrawn cases related to CAA protest and Vizhinjam port agitation (of Christians). If the government is with the Hindu faithful, why can’t it withdraw the cases against the devotees,’’ he asked.

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