Thrissur, 23 August

The BJP on Saturday lambasted the Kerala government for inviting Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin to the Global Ayyappa Sangamam, to be held at Pampa in Pathanamthitta next month, comparing the move to Hitler celebrating Jews.

BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar referred to the Left government's 2018 decision to allow the entry of women of menstruating age into the Lord Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala following a Supreme Court order, and to the statement of Stalin's son and Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin against Sanatana Dharma, to criticise the Pinarayi Vijayan-led government's move.

In a post on 'X', Chandrasekhar said that after years of Pinarayi Vijayan abusing Sabarimala traditions and devotees and putting many in jail, and after Comrade MK Stalin and his dynastic son Udhayanidhi Stalin abused Hindus and the Hindu faith, they now wish to embrace Lord Ayyappa on the eve of elections.

He alleged that these moves were all aimed at appeasing vote banks.

"INDI alliance parties like Congress, CPI(M) and DMK going to a Sabarimala program is as unreal as Hitler celebrating jews, Rahul Gandhi speaking the truth, Osama bin laden becoming an apostle of peace, Hamas/jamaat Islami respecting people of other faiths, Cong/INDI alliance giving up dynasties and corruption," he wrote on his 'X' handle.

Chandrasekhar opined that the people of the country, particularly Keralites and Tamilians, know it is just an election-time "Fool the people" strategy.

"But people will not be fooled anymore. No one will forget what the INDI alliance said and did to Hindu believers," he said.

His statement came a day after Devaswom Minister VN Vasavan visited Stalin in Chennai and invited him to the Global Ayyappa Sangamam, which will be organised by the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) in association with the Kerala government on 20 September at Pampa.

At a press conference held in Thiruvananthapuram on 21 August, Vasavan stated that the governments of all neighbouring states, as well as those from which Ayyappa pilgrims visit in large numbers, would be invited to the event, which will be inaugurated by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.