TDB’s Global Ayyappa Conference Sparks Political Tensions in Kerala
BJP former State president Kummanam Rajasekharan has termed the proposed international conference of Ayyappa devotees a cover for the LDF government to undermine Sabarimala’s ancient traditions and practices.
The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) plans to hold the conference at Sabarimala in September. But the move has set the stage for a political clash in Kerala ahead of the local body elections later this year. The BJP and Hindu organisations like the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) have strongly opposed it, while the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) government is pushing ahead.
Government’s View
Devaswom Minister V.N. Vasavan says the conference is meant to promote Sabarimala as a major pilgrimage destination on the world map. He sees it as a positive step that will attract devotees from around the globe and showcase the temple’s cultural importance.
Criticism from the Opposition
The VHP has accused the government of planning to use the event to let non-believers and political activists spread “disruptive propaganda.”
The BJP says the LDF, which “persecuted Ayyappa devotees in 2019,” has no moral right to hold such a gathering. The party also claims the government broke its promise to drop police cases against Hindu women who held peaceful prayer meetings during the 2019 Sabarimala protests.
Congress
The Congress has not taken a clear stand on the issue. But political observers recall that the party joined hands with the BJP and several Hindu organisations during the 2019 protests. These protests followed the LDF government’s move to implement the Supreme Court’s order allowing women of all ages into Sabarimala.
Flashback to 2019 Protests
When police tried to escort women of menstruating age to the temple, violence broke out. Many people, including police, were injured, and several cases were registered. Those events still shape political debates about Sabarimala.
Mr. Rajasekharan has also accused the cash-strapped LDF government of “exploiting” lakhs of Ayyappa devotees by charging high fees for poor-quality camping facilities.
With local body polls coming up, the proposed conference could become a major flashpoint — reviving old wounds from the Sabarimala controversy and testing the political strategies of all major parties.