Sabarimala row: The Left struggles to get it right

Religion had never been one of its strong points. The Achilles' heel of the Indian Left, especially the Communist Party of India (Marxist), was in full exposure this week as Kerala grappled with a dangerous concoction of faith, myth, devotion and politics over the entry of women into the famous hill top shrine in Sabarimala—till recently a barred space for women of the menstruating age.

The Pinarayi Vijayan-led government had to step into the uncomfortable space involving faith and myth, while attempting to execute a Supreme Court directive to open the Lord Ayyappa temple to women devotees, irrespective of their age. After the historic verdict, the shrine—whose deity is said to be a naishtika brahmachari (eternal celibate)—had opened on October 18 for the monthly puja. 

For the CPI(M) government, ensuring the entry of women into a shrine which had banned them for ages, was a “progressive step”, quite in tune with its politics. “When the fight is between the age-old myths and “progressive politics”, the CPI(M) has no doubt where to stand. We will follow the court verdict in its letter and spirit,” said Chief Minister Vijayan at a public meeting immediately after the opening of the shrine for all.

He may be correct, politically. But, what unfolded in the following days revealed that the September 28 verdict—which ended the discrimination against women devotees—had in reality made little impact on the minds of a large section of devotees, both men and women. Thousands of devotees hit the streets and massive rallies were organised all over the state. Egged on by the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the self-declared protectors of Lord Ayyappa blocked every woman who attempted an entry into the shrine. Even the police escorting the women had to back off following protests from the devotees of the 'Save Sabarimala' group. 

“Women will enter Sabarimala shrine only by stepping over our bodies,” said N. Arun Kumar of Save Sabarimala Forum. “It is a matter of our faith and we are ready to die for that.” He was one of the hundreds of devotees stationed at Nilakkal to ensure that no woman entered the shrine.

While Sabarimala looked more like a war zone and less like a shrine, seemingly confused signals were emerging from the CPI(M) stables. While a section of the party wanted to ensure the entry of women at all costs, another section was against turning Sabarimala into a place for activism. The People's Democracy—the party mouthpiece— had an article on the Sabarimala issue by politburo member S. Ramachandran Pillai, in which he argued that the issue would help the Left reach “newer sections”.

The state government looked isolated with both the BJP and the Congress cleverly trying to score political brownie points by changing their position in tune with the popular mood. To counter the negative campaign, the CPI(M) has started a slew of programmes explaining its position to the devotees. Apart from rallies and street corner meetings, it has also decided to visit each and every household in the state to explain the issues related to Sabarimala.

Lord Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala | AFP

Even if the CPI(M) is flustered, it is definitely not showing it. That the ruling party is not going to buckle down under pressure was clear when the chief minister told media persons that the government has no plans to file a review petition. He even ridiculed the protesters by saying that they are opposing the entry of women at a time when “women are gearing up to go to Mars”. 

M.V. Govindan Master, the CPI(M) central committee member, said that they were not worried about opponents using the opportunity to distance the party from the devotees. “The CPI(M) has always been the torchbearers of progressive politics and that will continue,” he said. Maintaining that the party is aware of the “dirty politics” that the BJP is playing with the 2019 elections in mind, he added that the people of Kerala are too smart to fall for such cheap tricks.

May be. But, even within the party, there is a strong section who feels that the government showed unnecessary haste in implementing the court order. While all agree that the state government could not have taken any other position on this issue, many felt that the government need not have acted in a hurried manner. 

And, the BJP is relishing the confusion. “The CPI(M) is definitely going to suffer for what they did in Sabarimala. Its Hindu cadre are deeply affected and many are leaving the party,” said R. Balashankar, former convenor of BJP's intellectual cell.

Blaming the “atheist party” for meddling with matters of faith, Balashankar said that no law should be implemented without gauging the public mood. “Temple and deity belongs to devotees, and not to atheist or activists,” he said. “The CPI(M) failed to understand this basic thing.”

When reminded that the central leadership had welcomed the Supreme Court verdict, he said that it was on the basis of gender equality. “But now we have changed the position as we realised the devotees are not ready to accept it. No law will be effective if the stakeholders object it,” he said.

History, however, will nullify this argument, claimed the CPI(M). “It is not easy to accept changes,” said Govindan Master. “But change has to happen and someone needs to initiate this change.” He also cited examples of the Guruvayur satyagraha and the Vaikom satyagraha. The upper-caste stakeholders of the temple had shut the shrine following the then government's decision to allow entry for lower-caste individuals. And, it took them years to actually start going to the temples.

“We maybe called atheists... but it was the CPI(M) leaders like A.K. Gopalan and P. Krishna Pillai who were at the forefront of all these struggles,” he said. “History tells us that we are on the right path even if we face some hurdles.” 

According to party insiders, the Sabarimala issue has brought people belonging to lower caste closer to the party, even though it may have antagonised a few upper-caste voters.

BJP president Amit Shah, who is coming to the state on October 27, has scheduled a number of meetings with all major stake holders to shore up the momentum gained.

Amid this fight between an “atheist” party and a “believers” party, the one party that got caught in between is the Congress. The party's dilemma was best explained by its leader K. Muraleedharan. “We cannot talk religion the way the BJP does and we cannot treat devotees aggressively the way the CPI(M) does. Ours is a secular party,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has decided to take up the writ and review petitions filed against its verdict on November 13. The temple that closed after the monthly puja will reopen on November 17 for the pilgrim season.