Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday reiterated that his government would not file a review petition in the Supreme Court against its verdict allowing women of all ages to worship at the Sabarimala temple and accused the Congress and the BJP of doublespeak on the controversy.
His response came after several Hindu organisations in Kerala moved the Supreme Court on Monday with review petitions against its earlier verdict. He also blamed the RSS for fishing in troubled water.
“RSS is trying to create a law and order situation in the state taking advantage of this verdict. Government is bound to implement the Supreme Court verdict,” Vijayan told reporters in Thiruvananthapuram. “Some forces were trying to foment trouble by whipping up religious passions and the government would deal with them sternly.”
“We never went to the court citing the issue of women entry. When the court had sought the state’s opinion we told we support women entry in the temple. The government took the view in the light of changed social scenario in the country. Now we can’t change our opinion,” Vijayan said. He named many social reformers and movements of the state to buttress the point that all customs should change with the times.
He criticized both, Congress and BJP, for changing their stance after hailing the verdict initially. “Both Congress and BJP central leaders have called the verdict historic and path-breaking. Now they see an opportunity to exploit the situation and they are whipping up passions. Devotees will realise their follies soon,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}He criticized both, Congress and BJP, for changing their stance after hailing the verdict initially. “Both Congress and BJP central leaders have called the verdict historic and path-breaking. Now they see an opportunity to exploit the situation and they are whipping up passions. Devotees will realise their follies soon,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}“They are spreading a canard that the government was responsible for the verdict. All changes in the society began with some resistance. As an elected government we are duty-bound to implement the orders of the Supreme Court,” he said.
The Left Front government had invited the Sabarimala priests and the Pandalam royal family - custodian of the temple – for talks on Monday to defuse tension among the devotees. Both snubbed the CM’s offer of talks.