About 70 devotees who were undertaking nama japa at Sabarimala were arrested in a brutal crackdown at 2 am on Monday. They were then taken to Armed Reserve Police Camp in Maniyar.
The crackdown triggered state-wide protest across the state with devotees gathering in front of Cliff House, official residence of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and residence of Travancore Devaswom Board chief A Padmakumar at early morning.
The devotees shocked the police by 10.30pm tonight (Nov 18) by congregating in valiayanadpandal all on a sudden and chanted prayers. They turned up in large numbers. When police asked them to stop they said, they would stop it after closing the shrine in the night after ”harivarasanam” is sung. Once the shrine is closed, police came to arrest one of the devotees who looked and sounded like a ‘leader’. His name is Rajesh from Ernakulam. He asked the officers what was his fault. Police said, it is because of the Section 144 prevailing there. He asked whether his prayers and namajapa was wrong. When police insisted on arrest, all other devotees were in chorus demanding to arrest of all of them; if namajapa is wrong all are guilty. So they wanted, demanded the arrest of all. They surrounded Rajesh and guarded him from the police.
Rajesh said, he had to do the neyyabhishekam tomorrow morning, but, if police insists on arrest, he is ready for it.
Rajesh told the media that hundreds of devotees have come to Sabarimala due to devotion. The government of Kerala and police said chanting “sharanam” is wrong. They are insulting Hindus. He is even ready for an arrest alone. But, the other devotees, hundreds of them, shouted that they will go with him.
Rajesh said he is ready to go to jail for the sake of Ayyappa. He said he is doing namajapa in a Hindu temple, not in a church or a mosque. He told the channels that let the whole world see it. The first time in the history of Sabarimala an arrest is going to happen in Sannidhanam. That too for chanting “Sharanam Ayyappa”.
They were ready to go back after the closing of the shrine. But, police complicated the issue. The other devotees are not ready to leave him alone in the hands of police. If at all an arrest takes place, all are with him for a “collective arrest”.
The devotees questioned the reason for 144. Police did not have any reply. They said, they can ask the court.
Now, by 11.30pm, hundreds of them are being arrested. First time the Sannidhanam becomes this much unrest. Arrest of devotees from Sannidhanam first time in the history. All are taken to the Sannidhanam police station. They are sitting in the courtyard. Devotees maintain, they are ready to undergo arrest after neyy abhishem tomorrow. Even old ladies are among the arrested devotees.
Police take them out by force. Even mediapersons are asked to move out. Devotees were dragged by the police. First time in the history, Sannidhanam witnessed such unholy scenes. Iru mudis were snatched from devotees and threw on the ground. One devotee is injured and taken to the hospital.
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