Viral video: Kerala BJP chief allegedly coerced Sabarimala priest to shut doors

Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan reacted on Twitter saying the BJP leaders in the state fomented violence including the state president. "The odious politics and perfidious ways of BJP stand exposed. Evidence has surfaced that BJP leaders in the State connived to create trouble in Sabarimala. It must be noted that their State president himself was involved in the ruse. This is highly condemnable."

Policemen contain Hindu devotees and activist during a protest against the Supreme Court verdict revoking a ban on women's entry to Sabarimala's Ayyappa Hindu temple, in Nilackal in the southern Kerala state on October 17, 2018. - Indian police on October 17 cleared protesters trying to stop women accessing one of Hinduism's most sacred sites, a hilltop temple forced by judges to open its doors to all female pilgrims for the first time. The Supreme Court in September overturned a ban on women of menstruating age, between 10 and 50, entering and praying at the Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala in the southern state of Kerala. (Photo by ARUN SANKAR / AFP)

Kochi:  Kerala BJP president PS Sreedharan Pillai sucked into another controversy for allegedly claiming that the chief priest of the Sabarimala Temple consulted him over closing the doors of the sanctum sanctorum if women tried to enter the shrine. The clip of Pillai’s alleged address to the Yuva Morcha state committee in Kozhikode has gone viral. Pillai purportedly said chief priest Kandararu Rajeevaru was apprehensive about shutting the doors of the hill temple (when women were about to enter Sabarimala) as he feared contempt of court but went ahead with the decision after consulting him on telephone. The BJP leader assured the priest that “we’d be the first to be slapped with the charges of contempt of court if it comes.” Pillai also allegedly spoke about how Sabarimala presents a 'golden chance' & how they orchestrated the entire agitation. Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan reacted on Twitter saying the BJP leaders in the state fomented violence including the state president. "The odious politics and perfidious ways of BJP stand exposed. Evidence has surfaced that BJP leaders in the State connived to create trouble in Sabarimala. It must be noted that their State president himself was involved in the ruse. This is highly condemnable." The clip has gone viral on the day Lord Ayyappa temple is all set to open for a monthly puja. The shrine would open at 5 pm Monday evening. Security has been massively beefed up in and around Sabarimala after last month violent protests against entry of women. BJP and other Hindu outfits have locked horns with the Left-front government over its decision not to seek a review of the top court verdict. The protests were sparked after the Supreme Court permitted women of menstrual age group to offer prayers at the shrine. So far, 3,731 people have been arrested and 545 cases registered in connection with the violence.