Sabarimala protesters persist with women ‘ban’

Sabarimala: Frenzied crowds nearly lynched a woman devotee, suspecting her to be of menstrual age, as a diffident police let the RSS strongman from Kannur, Valsan Thillenkery, to restore peace at the Sabarimala Ayyappa shrine during the second day of Chithira atta tirunal on Tuesday.

Mr Thillenkery’s back-to-the-deity posture, as he tried to rein the agitators, many of them his own cadre, triggered a controversy as he was found at the 18 holy steps without the customary “irumudikettu” — the customary sacred offerings to Lord Ayyappa — on his head.

Travancore Devaswom Board member K.P. Sankaradas who criticised Mr Thillenkery’s unholy act was soon accused of committing the same sacrilege the previous morning.

A group of young women from Andhra Pradesh had to return from the base camp, Pamba, following protests in the morning. A 30-year-old woman, who had reached Pamba with her husband and two children on Monday, went back early Tuesday morning without offering prayers. The protesters also allegedly attacked a cameraman of a Malayalam television news channel who tried to capture their demonstration.

Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said “certain people” are trying to destroy the peaceful atmosphere in Sabarimala.

“They are trying to prevent devotees arriving there for darshan. Real devotees and society will identify such forces,” he told reporters in Kozhikode when his reaction was sought about the developments in Sabarimala.

Earlier, the police, which had claimed foolproof arrangements for crowd control and protection for young women in line with the Supreme Court’s verdict on September 28, found itself in a predicament, unable to check crowds, menacingly accosting a woman devotee from Thrissur, Lalitha Ravi, 52, who had arrived along with family members for performing rituals for her grandson.

The assorted crowd of Ayyappa devotees, including agitators, grew restive as the police accompanied Ms Ravi and the rest of her family members, past the nadapanthal towards the sannidhanam, the shrine complex. The police had verified her Aadhaar card for proof of age. But the crowds suspected that she was less than 50 and sought to verify her age themselves. But by mistake, she produced a different Aadhaar card, not having her details.

There were shouts from all sides as the police proceeded to the sannidhanam. The agitators attacked Ms Ravi’s niece, who was seen later complaining to the police. The police then rechecked her age proof and convinced the crowd. Later, some of the agitators themselves escorted Ms Ravi to the sannidhanam.

It was at this time that Mr Thillenkery, who was at the sannidhanam, came down and tried to calm the crowds. He made a brief address through the megaphone as a cop in riot gear stood by holding the loudspeaker:

“We are here as devotees. But some others have come along to create trouble. Do not fall into their trap. We should strive for a peaceful darshan. Help those people in the right age group to worship. We have arrangements to filter out those within the barred age group, right from Pampa. The police is here, our volunteers are here. Nobody can breach the arrangement. Tradition won’t be breached,” he said.

“Do not become unnecessarily emotional. Some people, bent on converting Sabarimala into a riot zone, might want an incident to happen today. Would you want to fall into their trap? Be clam and ensure you alight the steps in peace,” he said.

State police chief Loknath Behera has sought a report from inspector general, Thrissur range. M.R. Ajith Kumar, who was in charge of the security at Sannidhanam, on the circumstances in which Mr Thillenkery’s help was sought by the police.

More embarrassing to the police and the government was that Mr Thillenkery even said over the police megaphone that the entry of women in the10-50 age group would be prevented. The police looked askance as he made this defiant call.

Though the police often seeks help of persons who can influence a violent mob to control it, the Sabarimala episode on Tuesday was a shame to the police force, which had converted the stretch from Nilakkal-Pampa to the sanctum sanctorum into a virtual fortress.

“The chief minister himself had labelled the RSS and Sangh parivar leaders as extremists and with dubious intentions. Hence, the police seeking the help of such people for controlling a mob is a surrender,” sources in the police maintained.

Chief minister’s private secretary M.V. Jayarajan sought to justify seeking help from the RSS leader. The priority of the police was to avoid use of force at the holy place and that could be the reason that the RSS leader was allowed to address the violent people using the police microphone,” he told this newspaper.

He also added that Mr Thillenkery’s nexus with the violent mob stood exposed with Tuesday’s incidents.

The police arrangements at Sabarimala had gone awry right from Nilakkal on Monday. The police had planned to send pilgrims in batches of only 50 each from Nilakkal to Pampa in state-owned bus. The bus service was also planned to be regulated with time gaps to ensure sufficient interval between each group.