Congress-led UDF workers to boycott both Women's Wall, Ayyappa Jyothi

Thiruvananthapuram: The Congress-led UDF here on Tuesday made its position clear that none of their workers will take part in either the Women's Wall organised by the CPI-M or the BJP supported Ayyappa Jyothi that will run through the length of the state.

Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala told reporters here that none of their workers will be taking part in these programmes.

"The Women's Wall by the CPI-M is nothing but one meant to divide the society and is purely a communal one, as neither Christian nor Muslim organisations have been asked to take part. Instead the CPI-M is now threatening school teachers, Kudumbhasree workers and those who eke out a living by taking part in the rural employment guarantee scheme. The one that is being formed with the support of the BJP is actually the programme of the RSS and hence none of our workers will take part in any of these two programmes," said Chennithala.

The Sabarimala temple town has witnessed protests by Hindu groups since the September 28 Supreme Court verdict that allowed women of all ages to enter the temple, including those hitherto banned girls and women aged between 10 and 50.

The BJP and the Congress-led UDF are up in arms against the manner in which the Pinarayi Vijayan government is trying to use the apex court verdict to dilute the traditions of the temple.

It was the CPI-M's decision that came first to form a Women's Wall with an aim to uphold renaissance values and gender equality in society, from Kasargode to Thiruvananthapuram on January 1. To counter the Women's Wall, soon came the BJP's decision to extend its full support to Ayyappa Jyothi (lighting of lamp) to be held on December 26 from the northern tip of the state at Kasargode to the southern tip at Parassala, near here, organised by the Sabarimala Karma Samithi.

Last Thursday, Kerala MLAs almost came to blows inside the Assembly after the opposition called the upcoming Women's Wall a 'communal wall'.