Days before election, PM Modi puts focus back on Sabarimala

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM/ KONNI: With just four days left for Kerala to vote, PM Modi on Friday brought the dormant Sabarimala issue centre-stage once again, leaving LDF, which has studiously avoided the topic so far, and UDF, which has only done slightly better, no option but to directly address the emotive subject.
In an unprecedented gesture, Modi began his speech in Konni in Pathanamthitta district by invoking Lord Ayyappa and chanting ‘Swamiye Saranam Ayyappa’ loudly and clearly thrice and exhorting his audience to follow suit.The PM also paid homage to Jesus Christ on the occasion of Good Friday, saying we “remember his service and sacrifice”.
Launching a broadside at both LDF and UDF, Modi called the fronts ‘twins’ and, alluding to the Bible, said both of them are guilty of “seven deadly sins”. The PM appealed to voters to give NDA an opportunity to form the government and promised to build a Kerala that they dream of. He said Congress and CPM were getting closer in Bengal after every and a logical step after such proximity would be a full merger.
CPM politburo member M A Baby slammed Modi for chanting ‘Saranam Ayyappa’ at Konni, saying that the PM was violating the secular values followed by past PMs of India. Speaking at an election convention at Karunagappally in Kollam, Baby said ‘Swamiye Saranam Ayyappa’ can be chanted at Sabarimala or at a place of worship but it is not right to chant it at a public meeting, that too at an election rally.
CPM and UDF will be, willy-nilly, forced to confront the Sabarimala issue in at least a few south and central Kerala districts where the issue and its aftermath remain fresh in public memory.
In Thiruvananthapuram later in the evening, Modi, without naming devaswom minister K Surendran, said a minister from the city whose role was to support temples had worked as a “mastermind” to shower lathis on devotees in Sabarimala. He said local MLAs of UDF and LDF were facing serious charges such as amassment of disproportionate assets, disrespect towards women and destruction of public properties.