Republic Day Parade Float on Sabarimala Sabotaged by Vested Interests & Kerala Govt.

New Delhi: The state government of Kerala has shown its intolerance towards Hinduism and Sabarimala yet again, by sabotaging the Harivarasanam float for the forthcoming Republic Day parade.

The state had proposed Digital Kerala, Fruits of Kerala, Sree PadmanabhaSwamy Temple and Sabarimala as part of the pageantry for 26 January, where Sabarimala, in the backdrop of Lord Ayyapaa’s vigraha was pictured. In spite of having received the Union ministry’s green signal, the project was allegedly sabotaged by the Oommen Chandy government.

According to sources, the Union ministry received  complaints from certain vested interest groups as the float is “depicting the traditional and customary rites and rituals of Sabarimala as anti-women and and opposing communal harmony”. These included the anti-women statements made by Travancore Devaswom Board president as well.

According to norms the Union ministry follows up with the state government, any such complaint that arises, with a request for related and relevant documents to steer clear any contradicting statement. In accordance with the same, the Union Defense Ministry sought clarifications regarding the same, to which the state government never reciprocated.

“Finally, when Chief Minister Oommen Chandy reached New Delhi, the central ministry requested him to set matters right. But the Chief Minister is also said to have taken a silent stand regarding the matter,” narrated sources. Soon after, it was learnt that state cultural minister KC Joseph disclosed that the minister never intended pursuing the matter diligently. With Kerala govt. taking such a stand, many project workers, including architect of the float Hariharan Balagopal, are said to have withdrawn their interest in the project.

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