Tension at Attukal Temple, Kerala: Communists Cover Saffron Flags with Kerala CM’s Flex Board
It is the start of the temple festival season in Kerala, and it appears that once again the Communists have decided to poke their noses and create unrest in and around our temples. Those following events in Kerala are aware of the Kerala state government’s virtual ban on Saffron flags during temple festivals, over the past two years.
What exactly happened?
The Attukal Devi temple, located in the state capital, Thiruvananthapuram, is among the most popular temples in Kerala. The 10-day-long festival started a couple of days ago. There were a few saffron flags hoisted near the temple. Apparently, the Communists were irked and put up a flex board covering the saffron flags.
The flex had an image of the Kerala CM with the following message:
“Greetings to the Kerala State Government for granting INR 2.5 Crore for renovation works in connection with Attukal Pongala.”
This upset the locals, which must have included local BJP workers as well, who demanded that the flex be removed. Finally, a group of locals forcefully tore down the flex board last evening, which ended in an altercation with the police. (Please see the video from 2:15)
The Kerala government spends a lot of public funds to appease a particular minority community. Will the Communists put up a flex board like this, covering green flags? They will not. This kind of aggression is only shown around temples.
Video Courtesy: Karma News
About the Temple
Attukal temple is one of the very few major temples in Kerala that is not managed by the Kerala state government. The 10-day-long festival culminates with Attukal Pongala, which holds the Guinness world record for being the largest religious gathering of women anywhere in the world.
The temple is managed by the Attukal Bhagavathy Temple Trust. It is one of the most ancient temples in South India and is popularly described as the Sabarimala of Women, as women form the major portion of devotees and because men are not allowed anywhere near the temple on the day of the Pongala.
