Yechury blames RSS for Sabarimala temple violence

Blaming the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) behind the Sabarimala Temple protests, Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury on Friday said similar kind of violence was witnessed during the Babri Masjid demolition.

"This is the worst form of vote bank politics being played in the country at the expense of destroying social harmony. All the TV crews who went there which had women were roughed up, the pattern is very similar to the time of the Babri Masjid demolition. You have the heads of the volunteers wearing saffron bands, the same dress you found there then," Yechury said while addressing media.

Alleging that the RSS is involved in the temple violence fiasco, the CPM general secretary underscored: "Similar thing is being done here (Sabarimala Temple). The RSS is doing this."

Further expressing concern over the prevailing situation in Kerala due to the ongoing protests against entry of all age group women in the temple, the CPI(M) leader said that in the name of devotees all the anti-social elements are creating violence in the area.

Meanwhile, CPI(M) Kerala state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan blamed Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the protests and hindrances caused in the implementation of law and order in the state.

"We want to abide by the Supreme Court's order. Earlier, the Congress was in favour of entry of women of all age groups in Sabarimala Temple but now they are protesting against it as we are in power. Following Supreme Court verdict, a lot of arrangements had to be put in place but the BJP is causing hindrance in putting those arrangements in place," Balakrishnan said.

Commenting on the absence of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan from the state for the past three days, Balakrishnan said that there was nothing happening in the state that required the chief minister's direct intervention and physical presence.

Two days after the Sabarimala Temple in Kerala opened its doors for the first time for females of all age group, as per the Supreme Court verdict pronounced on September 28, no woman of menstrual age has yet been able to visit the shrine because of continuous protests.

A number of devotees blocked the entry of women trekking up to the hill shrine. The doors of the temple opened on Wednesday at 5 pm, and will close on October 22.