Chennithala asks if Kerala CM ready to apologise over his stand on Sabarimala

Thiruvananthapuram/Pathanamthitta (Kerala) [India], March 19 : Kerala Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala asked if Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is ready to apologise for admitting that his old stand on Sabarimala was wrong.
Chennithala has demanded a public apology from the Chief Minister, who has said that the decision will be taken in consultation with all when the Supreme Court rules the final verdict on the Sabarimala women entry issue.
He also said the Chief Minister should apologise for creating tension by his rigid stand and destroying the ritual of Sabarimala by allowing women to enter Sabarimala.
"Though the UDF had demanded that the decision be taken in consultation with all, the Chief Minister did not listen to it and went ahead with austerity, which made Sabarimala and the country tense. Then a woman wall was built to strengthen his destructive stand by swindling the public treasury. The Chief Minister, who says that he will consult with everyone when the Supreme Court verdict comes, should openly say that the building the women wall was wrong," the Congress leader said.
Chennithala also demanded that the "erroneous" affidavit given by the state government in the Supreme Court should be withdrawn if the Chief Minister is sincere in saying that the verdict is to be implemented in consultation with all.
"The correct verdict will come if the present affidavit is withdrawn and a proper affidavit is given that young women should not be allowed to enter Sabarimala violating the custom.
Chennithala said that it is only to fool the people to say that they will consult with everyone after the verdict.
Former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy demanded immediate withdrawal of the affidavit submitted by the left government in the Supreme Court to allow women to enter Sabarimala if there is sincerity in Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran's regret.
"It was the VS Achuthanandan government who took the first step by submitting a new affidavit in the Supreme Court against the rituals. When the UDF government came to power in 2011, the affidavit was withdrawn and a new affidavit was submitted to protect the rituals. When the Pinarayi government came to power, the LDF government withdrew the affidavit and issued a new affidavit disrupting the rituals," Chandy said.
"Had the affidavit given by the UDF government not been withdrawn, the Supreme Court would have not ruled on the entry of women in Sabarimala. The problem in the holy land of Sabarimala was created by the Left government. Devaswom Minister Kadakampally and the Chief Minister think that they can escape by expressing regret. If there is sincerity, the affidavit, the declared policy of the CPM, should be amended. With that, all the current problems in Sabarimala will end," he added.
Earlier on Wednesday, Pinarayi Vijayan said that after the Supreme Court delivers its final verdict on Sabarimala, the state government will discuss it with believers, including those who have a difference in opinion.
Speaking to media persons in Malappuram during his campaign trail on Thursday, the Chief Minister said there is no problem in Sabarimala now.

"Everything is going well. There is no need to discuss Sabarimala now. Now that the assembly election has come, some people have taken a keen interest in the shrine. Their purpose is clear. Just look at it as part of it. The issue was also raised during the local body elections," Vijayan said.
The election for 140-member Kerala Assembly will be held on April 6. The counting of votes will take place on May 2.