Sabarimala pilgrims treated as 'Gulag inmates', alleges Shah; Kerala CM hits back

The political slugfest over the Sabarimala issue touched a new low Tuesday with BJP President Amit Shah accusing the Kerala government of treating pilgrims as 'Gulag inmates', prompting Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to allege the Sangh Parivar was making the pilgrims 'scapegoats'.

As the stand-off continued over the entry of menstrual age women to Lord Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala after the Supreme Court lifted the ban, Shah slammed the CPI(M)-led government's handling of the situation as "disappointing" and accused it of making them spend nights next to "pig droppings".

In a series of tweets, Shah said, "If several reports of flushing resting places for devotees and them having to spend nights next to pig droppings and dustbin are true, then Pinarayi Vijayan must realize that he can't treat Ayyappa devotees like inmates of Gulag. We won't let LDF crush people's faith with impunity."