Kerala Devaswom Minister K Radhakrishnan on Thursday justified a recent circular prohibiting all RSS activities on the premises of temples under its jurisdiction, claiming that the goal was not to keep people away from shrines but to "maintain a peaceful atmosphere". He said that a controversy over the issue was totally unwarranted.
The Minister's answer came in the aftermath of considerable criticism and a blazing debate on social media groups about the TDB's circular, which many claimed was an attempt by the Left administration to keep the Sangh Parivar away from state shrines.
The TDB is the highest temple body in Kerala which manages significant shrines in the Travancore region.
According to PTI Radhakrishnan said, "Places of worship should always be the centers of peace... There should be an atmosphere where all devotees can come and offer their prayers in a peaceful manner."
The minister clarified that no one will be barred from approaching the shrines. He also urged everyone to stay out of such controversies.
Earlier, the Travancore Devaswom Board issued a fresh circular banning RSS activities on temple premises and its properties. According to a directive issued by the Devaswom Commissioner, 'namajapa protests' (mantra chanting protests) are also prohibited inside the premises of temple-managed sites. The circular said that without the authorization of the TDB, all actions of the RSS and outfits with "extreme ideologies" were deemed illegal.
On October 20, a circular issued by TDB directed the Devaswom Vigilance Wing to carry out unannounced inspections of temple premises to ascertain whether the RSS or any other organizations were holding 'shakhas' (branches), large-scale drills, or engaging in weapons training. It said that both temple employees and priests should report to the TDB management regarding the existence and actions of any such groups.