Hemachandran, DGP, who was appointed by the Kerala High Court in the wake of massive human rights violations by the police force deployed by the government, has taken charge of the duty in Sabarimala. The court had appointed a three-member panel to oversee arrangements after restrictions by the police triggered huge public outrage. The restrictions imposed by the police had resulted in the decline of devotees’ turnout in Sabarimala.
There has been a marked difference in the ambience of the Sannidhanam and Pampa. Hemachandran removed all restrictions imposed by monstrous police officers who were taking orders from Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s office. Several barricades were put up and ropes were fastened to curb the entry of devotees. The sadist cops used to wake up sleeping devotees in the nadapanthal, which is meant for resting. The court came down heavily on the government for imposing such inhuman and insensitive restrictions on devotees who were at the mercy of cops, a majority of them sympathisers of the CPI(M).
Political observers say that by appointing a known Pinarayi baiter as observer in Sabarimala, the court tried to drive home a strong message to autocratic Pinarayi Vijayan who is suspected to have taken these steps to destroy Sabarimala. The court was flooded with petitions complaining about the restrictions in Sabarimala. Never in the history of Sabarimala, has there been such a bad experience faced by devotees. The court had observed that “the nadapanthal belongs to devotees and police should stay in barracks”. The government had deployed over 15,000 cops for Sabarimala duty.
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