Kerala witnessed a rare show of political unity on Monday as both the government and the opposition fronts welcomed the Supreme Court verdict that upheld the erstwhile Travancore Royal family's right over the control of the Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple in Kerala.
The controversy over the administration and management of the historic temple was pending in the apex court for the past nine years in the wake of charges of alleged financial irregularities. On Monday, the SC overruled the January 2011 judgment of the Kerala high court, which had asked the state government to take over the control of the temple from a trust headed by the former royal family.
"We welcome the SC verdict wholeheartedly," said state Devaswom Minister Kadakampilly Surendran. "The state government will do everything to see that the SC verdict is implemented in all its spirit," he said.
The Congress party also has welcomed the verdict. "The Congress party has always sided with the believers. The verdict is in favour of believers and it protects customs and traditions," said former health minister and Congress MLA V.S. Sivakumar. "We are happy that the royal family, too, has got a role now," he added.
Similar sentiments were expressed by various religious representatives, including Rahul Easwar. "It's a great relief. It certainly is a positive move for believers," he said. "Temples should not be ruled by politicians or government but by believers," Easwar added.
The royal family has also expressed their happiness. Welcoming the verdict, the royal family said the apex court had approved of its right on the temple.
The state had been waiting anxiously for the verdict as it had the potential of becoming a simmering political issue as in the case of SC verdict on the entry of all women into Sabarimala. The Left government had to pay a huge price for showing over enthusiasm in implementing the SC verdict when it lost all but one seat in the 2019 LS elections. But now, with the government wholeheartedly welcoming the verdict that has upheld the right of the royal family over the temple, the political turmoil seems to have been averted.