‘The board does not want Sabarimala to be a political issue’

With barely 48 hours to go for the Sabarimala Temple to re-open again for its monthly pujas and rituals, the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) on Sunday invited members of the Thantri family, Pandalam palace representatives as well as Ayyappa Seva Sangham leaders to take part in a “discussion” on Tuesday morning.

According to an article in the Times of India, A Padamkumar, TDB President, said: “All issues have to be resolved. The board does not want Sabarimala to be a political issue. Hence, without any pre-conditions, we will be having discussions with the thantri family and others concerned.”

The Travancore Devaswom Board’s initiative comes amid growing protests by Ayyappa devotees against the historic SC allowing women aged between 10 and 50 years entry to the hill shrine.

On the other hand, the BJP is planning a massive show of its strength today in Thiruvanthapuram, with a massive yatra led by the party’s State President P S Sreedhran Pillai.

An article in Times of India stated: “BJP wants the concluding ceremony of the march on Monday to be a show of strength. Supporters from different parts of the state have been mobilised to take part in the yatra.”

“The government is trying to implement the SC verdict by suppressing the Hindu faith and the sentiments of the believers,” said Pillai, adding that the meeting convened by the TDB on Tuesday with the tantri family and Pandalam royal family would be an eyewash. “The TDB President is a puppet in the hands of the CPM.”