Sabarimala: Yuvamorcha protest turns violent, police use water cannons to disperse crowd

Expressing their dismay over the decision of Supreme Court of allowing women of all ages to offer worship at the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple, Yuvamorcha activists led a march on Thursday to the house of Kerala Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran. But the march turned violent which led the police to use water cannons and tear gas shells to disperse the crowd.

The peaceful march of Yuvamorcha activists turned violent after the protesters tried to break barricades put up by police a few meters away from the minister’s house. In a bid to disperse the protesters, police used water cannons and tear gas shells.

Reacting to the incident, the ruling CPI(M) alleged that the ongoing stir over the Sabarimala issue by the opposition BJP and Congress along with other outfits was to destabilise the LDF-led state government.

While addressing a press conference, Front Convener A Vijayaraghavan said that the nature of the stir, which included blocking the minister’s convoy, “insulting” the chief minister and attacking Travancore Devaswom Board offices, indicated that the effort was to dislodge the LDF government.

“With a view to counter the false propaganda unleashed by the Opposition over the issue, LDF would convene public meetings in all 14 districts this month to explain the stand of the government and the LDF,” he added. “CM Pinarayi Vijayan will address meetings here on October 16, at Pathanmthitta on October 23 and at Kollam on October 24,” the LDF convenor noted.

Vijayaraghavan further asserted that the government cannot reject the order of the Supreme Court and it is bound to implement the same.

Meanwhile, BJP state president P S Sreedharan Pillai, who addressed the ‘long-march’ launched by NDA with the slogan of ‘Save Sabarimala’ at Noornad in Allpuzha district, claimed that the march was getting massive support from the general public.

The Congress, BJP and various Hindu organisations have launched massive protests, demanding that the state government file a review petition against the Supreme Court verdict over Sabarimala temple. But the Left government has maintained that it will not go in for a review of the ruling. The Supreme Court in its September 28 verdict had allowed entry of women of all ages into the Sabarimala shrine.

Also Read: Sabarimala: Hindu organisations held massive protest against SC verdict