On Sabarimala row, Amit Shah says Kerala govt insulting Ayyappa devotees
This was BJP president Amit Shah’s first visit to Kerala after the stand off at Sabarimala temple over the entry of the women of menstruating age into the shrine.
BJP president Amit Shah launched a frontal attack on Kerala’s ruling Left Front on Saturday, saying his party “stands like a rock” with devotees of Sabarimala after the recent face off that saw women between 10 and 50 years of age being prevented from entering the temple despite a Supreme Court order.

“Today in Kerala a struggle is going on between religious beliefs and state government’s cruelty. More than 2000 activists and workers from BJP, RSS and other organisations have been arrested. BJP is standing like a rock with devotees, Left government be warned,” Shah said at a rally in Kannur.
“A non-believer government is trying to do enough dirty jobs in the name of a verdict,” he said referring to mass arrests over the last two days.
Shah also criticised the state government for a crackdown on devotees. “Instead of giving relief to flood-hit now the government is hell bent on tackling peaceful devotees,” he said.