Like Ayodhya, go by SC verdict on Sabarimala: Minister to BJP

Kerala Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran on Tuesday asked the BJP, which has welcomed the recent Supreme Court order on Ayodhya, to also respect the apex court verdict on Sabarimala permitting women of all ages to pray at the Lord Ayyappa shrine.

Surendran, who was replying to a question posed by the lone BJP legislator O Rajagopal, also asked the saffron party not to encourage "goons and anti-socials" to go to Sabarimala.

Rajagopal had sought reply from the Devaswom Minister on the arrangements made at the hilltop shrine ahead of the annual pilgrimage season.

The BJP member alleged that the number of devotees to the hill shrine came down last year and wondered why the Left government supported the entry of "atheist, Left activists" and others into the temple.

Countering it, the Minister said: "Please don't encourage anti-socials and goons to go to Sabarimala like last time," an apparent reference to violence during the protest against entry of young ...