Shah slams Kerala government over Sabarimala issue

Slamming the ruling CPI(M) in Kerala over the Sabarimala issue, BJP chief Amit Shah Friday said the state government has been "cheating" crores of Ayyappa devotees and denying them justice.

This would only result in "unsettling the foundation of the communist party in the state," Shah said addressing party workers here.

Over 2,000 devotees were put behind bars and cases were registered against 30,000 people during the Sabarimala protests, the BJP president said as he attacked the left government.

"The LDF government has been cheating crores of Sabarimala devotees in the country. I would like to remind you that this will result in unsettling the foundation of the communist party," he said.

Kerala had been rocked by protests after the state government decided to implement the Supreme Court's September 28 verdict allowing women of all age groups to offer prayers at the hill shrine.

"The LDF government has been stating that they were bound by the Supreme Court verdict. However, the top court has also said that no loudspeakers can be used in mosques.

From how many mosques have you removed the loudspeakers. Have you implemented that Supreme Court verdict?" Shah asked.

"The atheist communists have tried to deny justice to the believers," Shah said.

While Sangh Parivar organisations had toiled hard to protect the Sabarimala traditions and faith of the devotees, the BJP leader alleged that the LDF government had deputed 1,500 Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) activists, CPI(M)'s youth wing, to Sabarimala in the garb of police personnel.

The government tried to destroy the temple rituals, he alleged.

"We warn the Pinarayi Vijayan government that unless you stop persecution of Ayyappa devotees, your party will face the same fate of that in West Bengal and Tripura," Shah said.

He also asked the BJP, NSS, BDJS (Bharat Dharma Jana Sena) and other similar outfits to fight shoulder to shoulder to oust the "atheist" government.