Guruvayur/T’puram: AICC general secretary K C Venugopal alleged that CPM’s latest stand on Sabarimala women’s entry is a somersault made in the backdrop of assembly elections.He told reporters in Guruvayur that many of the turbulences faced by the people of Kerala could have been averted had the govt taken a mature stand soon after Supreme Court pronounced its order on women’s entry. “The govt should have convened a meeting of all stakeholders and tried for a consensus. It could have communicated the practical constraints in implementing the order to the apex court. Many devotees had to endure severe hardships because of the anti-faith stand of CPM and the CM,” Venugopal alleged.“Although CPM has now changed its stand with an eye on the election, it is a good decision. A UDF govt is set to come to power in Kerala and it will cancel all anti-people decisions of the outgoing LDF regime,” Venugopal said.Sreedharan Pillai ridicules CPM and CongressBJP leader and former Goa governor P S Sreedharan Pillai alleged that CPM had hailed the Supreme Court order permitting women of all ages to enter Sabarimala shrine as a progressive development. Congress also adopted such a stand initially. “As the BJP state president back then, I said a conclave of religious scholars must take a decision on the issue. Now that they changed their stand, both the parties must apologise to the people of Kerala. CPM will be the winner if an award is instituted for those who practise opportunism at the highest level,” Pillai said.Double standards, says V MuraleedharanBJP national executive member V Muraleedharan said both CPM and Congress were trying to mislead Ayyappa devotees on the women’s entry issue. He said the CPM was trying to create an impression that the state govt changed its stance on women’s entry. Minister V N Vasavan says govt was adhering to its 2007 stance, which supported women’s entry. Muraleedharan asked whether the govt would say that neither it nor the courts should interfere in temple customs and whether it was willing to say it won’t mix traditions with gender justice.
