Kerala CM briefs Guv on Sabarimala situation

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan Thursday met Governor P Sathasivam and briefed him on the Sabarimala temple issue, even as a fresh row broke out over alleged police "high-handedness" in stopping a vehicle in the convoy of union minister Pon Radhakrishanan.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan apprised the governor of the developments at the hill shrine, which has witnessed protests over prohibitory orders and restrictions imposed.

The orders were clamped in the wake of agitations over the state government's decision to implement the supreme court's order permitting entry of women of all age groups into the temple.

The governor also brought to Vijayan's notice the "grievance" expressed by Radhakrishnan, whose Sabarimala visit got entangled in a controversy after the BJP alleged that a senior IPS officer Yatish Chandra allegedly behaved arrogantly" with the minister Wednesday.

The various directions of the Kerala High court on Sabarimala, complaints about police action and the possibility of lifting the restrictions imposed through CrPC Section 144 banning assembly of four or more people were also discussed, a Raj Bhavan press release said.

The chief minister has assured the governor that all these issues would be looked into and acted upon as soon as possible, the release added.

Dismissing reports that Radhakrishnan's vehicle was intercepted when he was returning from the shrine early Thursday, the Kerala police said another vehicle, part of his convoy, was stopped on suspicion that Sabarimala protesters were travelling in it.

They said the car with the BJP workers arrived seven minutes after the minister's convoy had passed, raising suspicion.

Police also released CCTV visuals in this regard. However, the BJP workers alleged that their car was stopped at multiple points by the police and they were harassed.

Talking to reporters at Coimbatore, Radhakrishnan said he saw a "master plan to destroy the Sabarimala hill in Kerala."
"It seems there is a master plan to destroy the temple, as with these restrictions, the government wanted no devotees to come."
Asked if he would approach court over the incident, the minister said "We will think about it..if this is the situation for me, what would be the fate of the common man."