Kerala BJP chief kicks up row over Sabarimala issue
Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 5 : BJP Kerala unit chief P S Sreedharan Pillai courted a controversy Monday as TV channels aired a video clip in which he purportedly said that Sabarimala temple chief priest consulted him before threatening the closure of the shrine if women in 10-50 age group entered it.
As his remarks at a BJP Yuva morcha event in Kozhikode Sunday drew strong reactions from the CPI(M)-led ruling LDF and opposition Congress, Pillai, an advocate practicing in the Kerala High Court, said the priest had called him seeking a legal clarification, which he had given.
Several people come to him for legal consultations, he said.
At the height of dramatic protests against entry of women of menstrual age into the Lord Ayyappa shrine, Tantri Kandararu Rajeevaru had on October 19 threatened to shut the sanctum sanctorum if two young women, then escorted by police, were allowed to reach the 'Sannidhanam' (temple complex).
Police later escorted back the two women, including an activist, who attempted to enter the temple after the Supreme Court allowed women of all age groups to offer prayers.
The BJP and Congress have opposed the CPI(M)-led LDF government's decision to implement the apex court order and not to seek a review of it as demanded by various quarters.
In the video, Pillai was purportedly heard saying the priest had consulted him on whether closing the Ayyappa temple if women try to enter the temple would lead to contempt of court.
Pillai had said he assured the tantri that there would be no contempt and thousands of believers were with him.
"Sabarimala issue is a golden opportunity for us," he had told the party workers, claiming that the agitation was "BJP's agenda".
During October 17-22 when the temple opened for monthly puja, the first time after the apex court verdict, devotees and right wing activists staged protests and prevented around 12 women in the 10-50 age group from entering the shrine.
Slamming Pillai for his remarks, CPI(M) state Secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said it was a serious matter and demanded a high-level probe into what he called "all conspiracies" related to Sabarimala and the stand taken by the BJP.
The agitation was "well planned" by BJP and the fact that the party could "influence" the priest was "serious", he said. Industries Minister E P Jayarajan accused the BJP of using the tantri and other priests for creating trouble at Sabarimala.
Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala said the real agenda of BJP had been exposed through the video. The issue surfaced on a day when the temple opens for a special puja to be performed Tuesday.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
