The Kerala Police on Wednesday arrested a man for allegedly assaulting a woman devotee at the Sabarimala nadapanthal, suspecting her to be blow 50 years old. However, the latest reports suggest that the person has been arrested wrongly, as, according to sources, the accused, Sooraj, was not present at the site of the incident. Harsh sections like outraging modesty of a women and murder were slapped against him. Also a media report said the government and CPI(M) had a grudge against Sooraj because he had posted the bad condition of roads in Pathanamthitta on the Facebook, which invited the ire of the local MLA (a former journalist) Veena George and got him arrested.
Recently when the Sabarimala temple opened for Chithira atta festivities, there was fear among devotees that the Pinarayi government will forcibly bring young women to violate the age-old traditions. The atmosphere in the temple was surcharged as a huge posse of police force (about 5000 personnel) was deployed in Sabarimala. The government did everything to harass the devotees. Drinking water supply, hotels and other facilities were shut, rigorous checking were done. Bus services were restricted and devotees had to walk more than 20 km to reach the temple. Despite all these hurdles, more than 15,000 devotees turned up, making the police force insignificant.
At that time one devotee Lalitha Ravi, 52, turned up along with her family. Devotees suspected she was below 5o years and asked her for proof. She mistakenly gave her daughter-in-law’s Aadhar card which showed her age to be 30 years. Add to her trouble, a DYFI leader who was accompanying her shouted at the people who said there was a Supreme Court order which gave rights to women of all ages. This triggered angry scenes. Later, when she showed her Aadhar, people made way for her. The Mathrubhumi daily had reported this.
But the CPI(M) propaganda machine Asianet, Kairali and some other outlets continue to peddle lies about this incident. Kerala BJP chief spoke about a ‘Marxist Fraction’ consisting of 12 journalists who are setting the agenda for the media. The ring leader of this cabal, MG Radhakrishnan, is learnt to have told a group of journalists that they should aggressively pursue the government’s line on the Sabarimala issue.
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