Police action against Ayyappa devotees 'unethical': NSS

Kottayam: Nair Service Society, an outfit of Kerala's influential Nair community, Friday termed as "unethical and anti-democratic" the police action against devotees who protested the entry of women of all age groups into the Lord Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala.

NSS General Secretary G Sukumaran Nair also accused Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and some of his ministers of "hurting sentiments of crores of Ayyappa devotees" by "humiliating" Panthalam palace (Lord Ayyappa's palace) and Tantris (chief priests of Sabarimala) using "cheap language."

"The police action against the devotees is unethical and anti-democratic. The government is taking action against devotees by creating an emergency kind of situation in the state," Nair said in a statement here.

He said the NSS stands by the devotees on the issue.

The outfit, which has filed a plea in the Supreme Court seeking a review in the case, said it will organise peaceful protests, chanting Ayyappa mantra across the state on October 31, to mark its Flag Day.

Cracking the whip, police arrested hundreds of people, who took part in demonstrations across Kerala against the entry of women in the 10-50 age group into the Lord Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala.

Addressing an LDF meeting in Kottayam Thursday, Chief Minister Vijayan had asserted the state government would implement the Supreme Court order permitting entry of all women into the Lord Ayyappa temple.