Sabarimala: Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee campaign committee chairman K Muraleedharan said that the Sabarimala issue should not be of political discourse, rather it should be left on the religious beliefs of the devotees. If the custom of the temple is to not allow women of a particular age group, then people should not try to break that custom. Such customs and traditions have existed for a long time and for a reason and should not be misunderstood as superstition, he said.   

Muraleedharan accused the present LDF government for ordering a unilateral decision and implementing it. He also said that the Oommen Chandy government had submitted an affidavit in the apex court stating that the traditions of the temple should be maintained, however LDF had withdrawn it.

Further commenting on the state government’s stand on the situation, he suggested that there is a possibility that the government is sponsoring women, who are non believers to enter the temple. The government is showing a failure to comprehend the opinion of other political parties. While there are many orders from the Supreme Court that the government has failed to implement, they are suspiciously adamant about letting women of all ages enter the temple. He stated that the Sabarimala issue is not the only one in the state. Kerala Bhasha Institute book did not allow women to go for confessions; the government is trying to get Sunni Muslim women access to mosques, Muraleedharan alleged. Through these instances, the government is trying to create religious discord among people.

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The Congress president, Rahul Gandhi’s difference in the situation was explained by the MLA. He said that the party wants to ensure equality to women at a national level. However, in the case of Sabarimala, such a stand is not possible as it is not an issue of inequality, rather of religious beliefs. Thus the party head has allowed the state members to take this stand for the situation.

The MLA charged at Supreme Court for taking religious matters into hand. He said that courts have their own limitations. It is the responsibility of the court to protect and preserve the customs and traditions. In this case, the court has violated the same and thus Congress has reached and presented a review petition to protect the sentiments of the devotees.

Muraleedharan said that the party members like VT Balram, who have spoken in favour of the ruling, are entitled to their own opinion however; this is a personal stand and has nothing to do with the party’s decision, which was taken unanimously. An explanation has been asked by KPCC from Balram.

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Commenting on Raman Nair joining BJP, he mocked the move by saying the party has lost nothing by Nair moving out and that BJP will gain nothing “not even 10 extra votes” if he joins them. Though he (Nair) states that he is an executive member, Muraleedharan claimed that he has never seen him in any of the meetings.