As doors of Sabarimala temple reopen, row erupts over video of Kerala BJP chief

The Kerala BJP chief remained defiant despite strong criticism by opposition parties, claiming that the priest had merely taken a legal opinion from him.

The reopening of the doors of the Sabarimala temple on Monday had its share of controversy as well. Ahead of the opening of the doors, a purported video of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s Kerala unit chief PS Sreedharan Pillai was aired by some TV channels, wherein he referred to a discussion between him and the head priest of Sabarimala over entry of women in temple.

According to the video, the Kerala BJP chief purportedly said that the head priest of Sabarimala temple consulted him before threatening the closure of the shrine if women between the age group of 10 and 50 entered it.

The Kerala BJP chief, however, remained defiant despite strong criticism by opposition parties, claiming that the priest had merely taken a legal opinion from him.

When asked about the video aired by some television channels, Pillar said, “So what? I am a lawyer also, he (Sabarimala temple head priest) had taken a legal opinion from me. Many CPM ministers have also taken opinion from me and I have fought cases.”

The head priest of Sabarimala, Kandararu Rajeevaru, meanwhile dismissed the reports, claiming that he had no discussion on the issue of entry of women in temple with the Kerala BJP chief.

Speaking to news agency ANI, he said, “I only discussed that (closing the temple if women between 10-50 years of age come to sanctum sanctorum) matter with my family members and I did not discuss anything with the BJP chief of Kerala. I have nothing more to add to it.”

The alleged remark by the BJP leader was reportedly made at an event of the party’s Yuva Morcha in Kozhikode on Sunday.

The video evoked sharp reactions from several corners, including Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who said that the “odious politics and perfidious ways of BJP stand exposed”.

Taking to microblogging site Twitter, the Kerala Chief Minister said, “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.”