The representatives of Kerala Lord Ayyappa temple’s chief priests on Sunday refused to participate in talks to be held by the Kerala government on Monday regarding the Supreme Court verdict on Sabarimala, reported the Hindustan Times.
“Let us hear the final decision of the state government with regards to the filing of a review petition against the apex court’s verdict,” said Sabarimala priest Kantararu Mohanaru, according to IANS. “Once that is known, then we will decide on what needs to be done. To deploy female police personnel in the temple premises is a violation of the temple practices.”
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan proposed to hold talks with representatives of the priest and the erstwhile Pandalam royal family amid mounting protests by devotees against the Supreme Court order allowing women to enter the temple. Hundreds of devotees, mostly women, took part in marches in Kottayam and Malappuram districts on Saturday against the Left Democratic Front-led government’s decision to implement the verdict without going for a review petition, reported PTI.
“We will meet all persons concerned and convince them that as an elected government we are duty-bound to implement the verdict of the highest court of the country,” said Minister for Devaswoms Kadakampally Surendran, according to Hindustan Times. “Eyeing votes, some parties are fanning trouble. Their mischief won’t succeed.”
The state government and the Travancore Devaswom Board have made it clear that the top court’s order will be implemented and they will not file a review petition. However, on Friday, the Communist Party of India (Marxist), which has strongly backed the Supreme Court verdict, urged the government to hold talks with all concerned parties on the implementation of the verdict and advised it against creating an impression that government is being zealous in overturning temple customs, reported The Hindu.
“The consultation is for implementing the verdict,” said CPI(M) state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan. “The government is seeking the support of persons concerned to implement it, but not by force.”
The CPI(M) also accused the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party of playing divisive politics and said the two parties were trying to foment communal passion.
The Nair Service Society, the royal family of Pandalam town and family of the temple’s chief priest have said they would file a review petition in the top court against its order.
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