Latest updates (from Malayalam news sources);
1)
Police block devotees’ vehicles at Erumeli. The
bandobust scheme already seems to be cracking and things would slowly get more ugly in the afternoon hours when more devotees start coming in. The original plan was to allow the pilgrims only to move forward in the afternoon hours. But there is already a crowd formed there.
2)
Angry pilgrims protest at Erumeli; Allow us to go, they plead. And the latest update is that groups of pilgrims have started walking towards
Pampa from Nilakkal (the "base camp"), a distance of 17km. The original plan was to take the pilgrims only via Ke.SRTC buses (for which they have to bear the ticket costs). The police thought that with this "controlled movement" of pilgrims it would be easier to manage things. And there are also rumours that
Sangh workers have all been advised to take the
vrutha and trek the hill as pilgrims.
3)
‘Nada’ will be closed if customs are violated: Melsanthi {head-priest}. That was a statement; but hope it does not go to a stage where it has to be executed.
UlanBatori wrote:HT is basically saying there that devotees used violence against wimmen reporters, which I have seen twice now.
When the shrine opened last time; there were also many local groups (who are Ayyappa devotees, but have not taken the
vrutha to goto the temple as pilgrims) who actively stopped buses and vehicles to check if women are trying to sneak in. This temple also has big importance in districts like Pathanamthitta, Idukki as it is also their "local temple" (and matter of pride). This was when TV channels tried to deliberately cause problems by sneaking in women reporters. These women crew were asked to go back. There were no violence used against wimmen reporters, but they were shouted at and asked to go back. The wimmen reporters who have the standard
journalist attitude (of barging in every where with a camera and microphone), did try to push their way through but seeing the crowd they could not go. Public anger was also building up (and may have become more violent) and police actually pushed all the wimmen reporters into a police bus. Many of the wimmen crew from North India, and they neither had clue on the customs at Sabari Mala, and also were not in a mood to observe the sentiments of the local people. "Media magistrates" like Arnab Goswami is now hollering against the Sabari Mala devotees? For the simple reason; he too send in wimmen reporters who later had to sit with their heads low in the police bus. And ultimately the intuition of the local protestors was true. It was media crew wimmen who were insensitive to the faith and tried to sneak in with the police protection and the "journalist" tag.
abhijitm wrote:In KL if BJP is waiting for things to get out of control (which already is) and capitalize on anger then they are wrong. They can win hearts only by putting end to this in devotees favor. Devotees are going through anxiety and that means anger against everyone and unforgiveness. Congress can play 'helplessness' card since they are neither in state or in center to influence things. There is big probability of devotees going to congress en mass.
I would be honest, and even now I do have doubts on BJP's plans in Kerala. You are right, if BJP is trying to play cheap politics using the faith of the common Ayyappa devotee then rest assured they will remain powerless in KL for decades to come. Kerala's Congress is not playing the 'helplessness' card. With Pappu himself "okaying" the moves of Kerala PCC, they are leveraging the legal options. On social media it is how ever the
pro-Sangh activists and groups which are spreading the message (defend the faith) across. And this also helps, as the news spreads far & wide.