Sabarimala row: RSS-BJP backed elements creating communal frenzy, says AIDWA

New Delhi: The CPI(M)'s women wing, All India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA), Tuesday alleged that the BJP-RSS backed elements were creating "communal frenzy" against the implementation of the Supreme Court order in the Sabarimala Case. The court had upheld equal rights of women to worship at the temple under Article 25 of the Constitution. "Ever since the judgement, the RSS and its affiliated organisations have attacked the Supreme Court and the LDF Government of Kerala," AIDWA said in a statement to media. AIDWA also demanded immediate arrest of all BJP-RSS leaders and supporters who were "issuing open threats to women and trying to disturb the atmosphere of peace and harmony that has been fostered by the Left movement". It claimed that Left political parties and several mass organisations, including AIDWA, have started a ground level campaign to explain the verdict to the women, so that they are not swayed by the irrational and emotional appeals of reactionary political forces. "Some RSS-BJP leaders have even threatened to molest and cut into two women who will enter the Sabarimala temple to worship the deity," the statement said. It alleged that P Sathidevi, general secretary of Kerala state unit of AIDWA, was threatened by a BJP leader publicly on a TV show that she should make a confession to Lord Ayyappa or else she would be "torn into pieces and even her body would not be found". "The attack on AIDWA leaders is part of the hysteria sought to be unleashed by the RSS-BJP, as seen in BJP supporter and Malayalam actor Kollam Thulasi's open threat that women visiting the temple should be ripped apart and one half of their body should be sent to the chief minister and the other to the Supreme Court," AIDWA said. The CPI(M) women's wing was also critical of statements of Prayar Gopalakrishnan, former president of the Devaswom Board, who allegedly said that "women who enter the Sabrimala Temple will be attacked by tigers and men".