Amit Shah says Kerala govt's handling of Sabarimala protests 'disappointing', claims pilgrims being treated as 'Gulag inmates'

New Delhi: BJP President Amit Shah on Tuesday slammed the Pinarayi Vijayan government’s handling of the situation in Sabarimala as “disappointing” and accused the Kerala government of treating pilgrims as “Gulag inmates” and making them spend nights next to “pig droppings”.

The way Pinarayi Vijayan’s govt is handling the sensitive issue of Sabarimala is disappointing. Kerala police is treating young girls, mothers and aged inhumanly, forcing them to take the arduous pilgrimage, without even basic facilities like food, water, shelter & clean toilets.

— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) November 20, 2018

Asserting that his party stands firmly with every Ayyappa devotee who holds the Sabarimala tradition close to his heart, the BJP President said his party will not let the LDF “crush people’s faith with impunity”. In a series of tweets, Shah said, “If several reports of flushing resting places for devotees and them having to spend nights next to pig droppings and dustbin are true, then Pinarayi Vijayan must realize that he can’t treat Ayyappa devotees like inmates of Gulag. We won’t let LDF crush people’s faith with impunity,” the BJP chief said.

If several reports of flushing resting places for devotees and them having to spend nights next to pig droppings & dustbin are true, then Pinarayi Vijayan must realize that he can’t treat Ayyappa devotees like inmates of Gulag. We won't let LDF crush people's faith with impunity.

— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) November 20, 2018

Gulag was a system of forced labour camps established during Joseph Stalin’s rule in the Soviet Union. Shah’s comments underlined his party’s support to devotees protesting against the state government’s move to implement a Supreme Court order lifting the bar on women of menstruating age from visiting the temple. The Left Democratic Front (LDF) has accused the BJP of politicising the court order with the chief minister asserting that it is the job of a government to implement the apex court’s order. Shah said the way the way Pinarayi Vijayan’s government is handling the sensitive issue of Sabarimala is disappointing as the “Kerala police is treating young girls, mothers and aged inhumanly, forcing them to take the arduous pilgrimage, without even basic facilities like food, water, shelter and clean toilets”. “If Pinarayi Vijayan thinks he can rise against people’s movement to preserve Sabarimala by arresting K Surendran, BJP’s Thrissur district president and six others, then he is mistaken,” Shah said.

If Pinarayi Vijayan thinks he can rise against people’s movement to preserve Sabarimala by arresting K Surendran, our Thrissur District President and 6 others, then he is mistaken. We stand firmly with every Ayyappa devotee, who holds the Sabarimala tradition close to his heart.

— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) November 20, 2018