Kozhikode, Mar 19 : It was an expression of regret for incidents happened in Sabarimala in 2018 by Kerala Devaswam Minister Kadakampally Surendran.

But his apology over the incidents that witnessed in the hill shrine of Lord Ayyappa in Sabarimala, in the wake of a Supreme Court verdict, has boomeranged on the CPI(M) besides surfacing the issue all again as a core issue in the poll-bound Kerala.

It appears that the state leadership of the party keep shying away from either subscribing the view or refuting him completely but taking a neutral position. On the other hand the party’s central leadership put the responsibility of giving a clarity on the issue upon the state leadership.

The Minister had last week expressed pain over the incidents that took place in Sabarimala in 2018 adding that it should not have happened as it pained everyone, he had reportedly told a TV channel.

But this gave a stick for both the Congress and the BJP to beat the CPI-M and its government.

CPI(M) General Secretary Sitharam Yechury had reacted saying he was unaware why the Minister apologized adding that the Governments’ action were proper and in tune with their stance on equality to women as prescribed in the Constitution.

He conveniently kicked the ball into Kerala’s court by observing that a clarity on this will be given by the State leadership.

But Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan opt to play it safe without subscribing to the Minister’s view but at the same time diluting from his earlier stance on the women entry into Sabarimala temple.

Mr Pinarayi said the Government will discuss with all and then decide on the issue once the Supreme Court dispenses the case.

The Chief Minister has been ridiculing the protestors who objected and obstructed entry of women, between the age of 10 and 50 years, into the shrine. In fact several protests were witnessed throughout the state against the hasty decision of the LDF to allow entry of women of all ages on the strength of the Apex Court’s order.

The Government went on to facilitate entry of two women activists in disguise as to showcase their rigid stand in bypassing the protests under the pretext of implementing the apex court verdict on allowing women entry. The controversy of the priest closing the temple for performing “cleansing” rituals that witnessed in the abode of the Lord Ayyappa shrine in 2018 were history.

But now the Chief Minister says he will discuss with all those who have concerns, but after the larger bench pronounces its verdict.

However, he shied away from question on what would be the Government’s stand when the matter would be taken up for hearing by the larger bench of the apex court.

The Nair Service Society (NSS) was quick to take up the issue

Taking a firm stand on the issue, NSS General secretary Sukumaran Nair had demanded clarity from the Government. It felt that the Chief Minister has a moral responsibility to make it clear and clarify their position on the Sabarimala issue.

Taking cue from Kadakampally’s apology, both the Congress and the BJP is attacking the Chief Minister.

Opposition leader in the Assembly Ramesh Chennithala had lambasted Mr Pinarayi Vijayan for his misdeeds in Sabarimala which were substantiated through his Minister’s apology.

Ridiculing the Chief Minister, Mr Chennithala demanded Mr Pinarayi to remove his renaissance mask.

While Mr Yechury is firm and Kadakampally is apologetical, Mr Vijayan is keeping mum.

This is nothing but fooling the people of Kerala, Mr Chennithala keeps lashing out at Pinarayi who is steadfast on his stand of treating Sabarimala a non-issue which according to him need to be addressed once the Apex Court spell out its order.

BJP state president K Surendran, who was in the forefront in the agitation in Sabarimala in protest against the government’s decision to allow entry of women of all ages, also criticized Pinarayi for his silence on Sabarimala in the wake of Kadakampally’s confession.

It’s election time and Sabarimala is back in the news. Both BJP and Congress use the Sabarimala stick to beat the CPI-M led LDF. But BJP is not happy about Congress’s taking advantage of the women’s entry issue.

Wanting to take full credit to its fold, the BJP alleged that the Congress did nothing to resist the state government’s forced action in letting menstruating women enter the holy shrine, where entry of such women were prohibited.

The BJP accused the Congress party of being a silent spectator during disorder days in Sabarimala but wants to cash in now.

Regret by Kadakampally, who was at the helm of the Sabarimala Devaswam Board administration, has put the CPI-M in a tight spot without being able to take a firm and decisive stand.

Admission of the Minister’s view as right will obviously make their political position weak and devastate the Chief Minister’s rennaisance mission in tune with party’s political ideology of giving equal treatment to women whatever be the issue be.

Criticizing the Minister would be reflective of its misdeeds to the majority community, a bulk of which opposes women entry in Sabarimala.

But taking cue of the Minister’s confession, the opposition and BJP keep pestering the Government only compel the Chief Minister spell out more on the issue and keep Sabarimala issue live to take advantage in the April 6 Assembly election.(uni)