Some of the really horrid happenings at Sabarimala have forced me to think why and how such a situation came to pass. But before that I’d like to draw comparisons with another extremely horrid incident which happened in 1919 – almost a 100 years ago – in Jalianwala Bagh.
When did the attack happen?
Jalianwala Bagh Massacre (JBM): Took place on April 13, 1919 when troops of the British Indian Army under the command of Colonel Reginald Dyer fired rifles into a peaceful crowd of Indians, who had gathered in Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar, Punjab.
Sabarimala Atrocity (SA): Took place from 17 – 22nd October 2018, when police troops of Kerala State under the command of IGP Manoj Abraham beat up violently a crowd of Devotees of Ayyappa, who had gathered at Sabarimala Temple of Ayyappa Bhagawan.
What “unconstitutional” protest were the people doing?
JBM: The people had gathered for a peaceful protest to condemn the arrest and deportation of two national leaders, Satya Pal and Saifuddin Kitchlew. It was also reported that the crowd formed in deliberate defiance of orders stating that groups of people should not congregate at any place.
SA: The people had gathered to take Darshan of Ayyappa Swamy at Sabarimala and they were also peacefully protesting the Supreme Court order to allow women of reproductive age (between 10 to 50 years) to enter the Temple by chanting “Swamiye Ayyappa Sharanam”.
Were there women and children in the protests and were they also attacked?
JBM: Yes.
SA: Yes.
Who gave the orders?
JBM: Gen. Dyer who was a British National (non-Indian) gave the orders.
SA: CM of Kerala – Pinarayi Vijayan, who himself was following the Communist – Marxist (non-Indian) ideals of governance.
Who executed the orders, killed and injured the peaceful protestors?
JBM: Troops of soldiers – all of who were Indian.
(Rare painting of Jalianwala Bagh massacre)
SA: Troops of policemen – all of who were Indians, presumably Malayalees & many of them Hindus.
Was the protest really unconstitutional?
JBM: If one were to think as a Britisher – yes … if one were to think as an Indian – NO
SA: If one were to think as an Atheist Marxist or a Converted non-Hindu – YES…. If one were to think as a Hindu – NO
What was the reaction of the person who ordered the attack?
JBM: Gen. Dyer stated that his intentions had been to strike terror throughout the Punjab and in doing so, reduce the moral stature of the “rebels”. He said he did not stop the shooting when the crowd began to disperse because he thought it was his duty to keep shooting until the crowd dispersed, and that a little shooting would not do any good. In fact he continued the shooting until the ammunition was almost exhausted. He stated that he did not make any effort to tend to the wounded after the shooting: “Certainly not. It was not my job. Hospitals were open and they could have gone there.”
SA: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan attacked the BJP and RSS for the violent agitation at the Lord Ayyappa temple complex in Sabarimala over the entry of women of all ages into the hill shrine. “The government has the constitutional responsibility of implementing the Supreme Court verdict permitting women of all ages to offer prayers at the Sabarimala temple. Even the abode of Ayyappa was used as a camp for anti-social elements and criminals. We have maintained restraint, considering the sanctity of the place. Let me make it very clear that the Government of Kerala will not tolerate any such acts henceforth. We will ensure that the Supreme Court verdict is implemented in letter and spirit.”
Till now more than 2500 innocent people have been arrested and have been held without bail for protesting against the entry of women.
How did people try to escape those firing upon them?
JBM: Some of them ran helter-skelter, jumped into a well on the ground and died.
SA: One person ran helter-skelter & fell off the mountain and died. Others managed to run away to escape the beating.
What happened after the incident?
JBM: On 19 November, Dyer was called to appear before the Hunter Commission. He was finally found guilty of a mistaken notion of duty and relieved of his command on 23 March.
SA: Absolutely no one has questioned Vijayan’s decision to beat up the peaceful protesters in Sabarimala. He has not been asked to appear before any Court of Law either.
The Sabarimala Temple has re-opened for a day for Chithira Thirunal Pooja. All devotees reaching there have been harassed. They were all stopped at Nilackal and made to walk 22 kms to Pampa and then up to the Sannidhanam another 5kms away. Any devotee sitting for rest was prodded and told not to sit and keep climbing. There was no provision for water or food anywhere. Women who are neither Hindu, nor real devotees are being forcibly brought up in an attempt to make them enter the Temple.
Fallout of the Horrific Incident…
JBM: The fight for Independence became louder. Sardar Udham Singh avenged the Jallianwala Bagh massacre by killing Gen Dyer. When young Bhagat Singh, just 11 at the time heard about the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, he ran on his bare foot to witness the tragic event. Although the tragic scene was too much for the child to bear, he sat down on the ground and filled a bottle with the blood soaked mud. When his sister asked him about it, he answered with grief and anger, “This is the pure blood of great freedom fighters killed by the British. I am paying my last tribute to them who fought to make my India a free land”.
SA: Hopefully it will be a watershed movement to oppose the biased Courts in Bharat. Hopefully it will also motivate more people to ask for a change to Articles 25 – 30 in our Constitution, which is the root cause of biased rulings against Hindus. Hopefully it will also make the Hindus sit and contemplate on how their heritage and cultural rights are being trampled on, by those with an agenda. And hopefully, this will see the end of the Marxist rule in Bharat.
*** One last thing I want to mention here is about the reporting about the incidents. At least in British India, the newspapers honestly reported the incident. If one were to do a Google search (in English) on the Sabarimala attack on the pilgrims, one would see reports only on Lady Reporters being attacked by Pilgrims, Women not being allowed to enter the Ayyappa Swamy Temple despite court orders & so on, for the first two pages at least. Only online Right Wing portals have reported the attack on the pilgrims by the police.