The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) launched yet another attack on the LDF over the Sabarimala issue on Saturday. Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman accused Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran of committing a sin by unleashing the police on Lord Ayyappa devotees during the Sabarimala protests in 2018.
“The devotee who had gone to see the swami (god) was hit. Even if he does tapas (penance) for 500 years, this man (the Devaswom Minister) will not be able to atone for his sin “Sitharaman made the remarks during a poll meeting in a North Kerala constituency on the second last day of campaigning for the state Assembly elections.
Her statement comes a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the Devaswom Minister as “one of the masterminds” to shower lathis on the devotees.
Reacting to Modi’s allegation, Kadakampally Surendran said the Prime Minister made such a remark as he was misled by the state BJP leadership.
Modi had chanted “Swamiye Saranam Ayyappa” thrice at a poll rally held in Konni in Pathanamthitta on Friday.
The BJP has fielded its firebrand leader Sobha Surendran against Kadakampally Surendran, a senior CPI(M) leader, in Kazhakootam Assembly constituency in Thiruvananthapuram district.
