Congress calls for legislative intervention on Sabrimala

New Delhi, Jan 4 (IANS) Calling for legislative intervention on the Sabarimala issue, the Congress on Friday voiced its concern over the tense situation in Kerala.

"People are upset as there is a lot of apprehension among the believers of the Sabarimala temple," Congress' K.K. Venugopal said.

Raising the issue in the Lok Sabha during zero hour, he said the BJP had given a bandh call on Thursday which caused large-scale damage to properties.

"We want peace in the state. We want a solution. Atrocities and violence are not the solution. Therefore, the government should come forward. Otherwise the government is promoting violence in the state. We are appealing for legislative intervention," he said.

CPI-M's P. Karunakaran called the Supreme Court verdict as historic, saying it protects the right of all citizens, especially the women, according to the Constitution.

"We are upholding the Supreme Court verdict. Not only us, but Uma Bharati, Dr. Subramanian Swamy, Maneka Gandhi and others in the BJP and Congress have also upheld the verdict. So, the government of Kerala has to protect and uphold the verdict. There is no other way for the Chief Minister," he said.

Speaking over the issue, BJP's Meenakshi Lekhi said people who don't understand Hinduism were trying to set a wrong narrative.

"From Kamakhya to Chenguluru, the goddesses is worshipped as rajaswala in the menstruating form. That is what Hinduism is. So, we have a space for everything. A small temple like Sabarimala has its own practices," she said. 

She said a certain kind of narrative was being set where men are made to feel small and anti-feminist if they pass any order which is logically correct, though religion cannot be seen from any logical angle. 

"Will the Supreme Court decide how the birth of Jesus took place? Will the Supreme Court decide which body should be buried and which body should be burnt? The Supreme Court has to act in accordance with law and Article 25 says it all," she said.

Hitting out at the Kerala government, Lekhi said a government which is refusing to maintain law and order in that state is acting in a manner where it transports two women in an ambulance and surreptitiously takes them as transgender. 

"You are actually doing things to provoke a community. You are leading to a particular anarchical form. Ritualistic practices practised by certain religious groups need to be left alone and this is what tolerance is all about. This is not the question of civil rights," she said.