CM connived with atheist, Maoist groups to destroy Sabarimala: BJP

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan destroyed Sabarimala temple by entering into a 'contract with atheist and Maoist' groups, said BJP leader B Gopalakrishnan on Sunday.

Referring to a group of women who have gathered at Pamba to enter the temple, the BJP leader said, "This is a deliberate attempt of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who is trying to destroy Sabarimala temple at any cost."

"No young lady from Kerala wants to go there because they are all devotees of Lord Ayappa. That is why he (Pinarayi) went to Tamil Nadu and made a pact with some atheist group, some Maoist group. With permission of the government and Pinarayi, this team (women devotees) has reached Pamba," he said.

Gopalakrishnan's statement comes after a group of eleven women reached Pamba on Sunday to visit the Sabarimala temple. However, they all returned without paying obeisance at the shrine after Lord Ayyappa devotees including women opposed their entry into the temple.

He also blamed the state government for providing these women devotees with security right from the state border. "The government has given protection to these ladies from Kerala border to Pamba. No Supreme Court has stated that you should give protection from the border of Kerala to Pamba," he said.

"It is a deliberate attempt by Kerala government to destroy the Sabarimala temple. The devotees of Ayyappa will definitely prevent anti-Sabarimala activities of the government. We will not allow any young lady to enter Sabarimala temple," added the BJP leader.

Interestingly the women group had made complaints of inadequate security and one of the devotees had even claimed that the state police were not providing them with protection to trek to the hill shrine.

"We have been here since 3.30 am. Police have said that they will provide us with protection but now they are not providing us with protection to trek to the temple," Selvi, one of 11 women devotees, had said.