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The highly anticipated Thrissur Pooram festival in Kerala turned into a political battleground, with accusations and counter-accusations flying between the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) and the opposition Congress party. The controversy stemmed from alleged disruptions during the festival, which the opposition claimed were orchestrated to benefit the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate in the Thrissur Lok Sabha constituency, Suresh Gopi.
The debate, held in the Kerala Legislative Assembly, saw the Congress alleging that the CPI(M) government deliberately sabotaged the Pooram festivities as a quid pro quo for relief from Central investigations against their leaders. They accused the government of allowing Mr. Gopi, a prominent BJP figure, to enter the festival grounds in an RSS-controlled ambulance, while blocking the movement of ministers and candidates from other parties. The Congress alleged that the police, acting under the government’s direction, systematically hampered the festival’s smooth running, creating chaos and inconveniencing devotees.
The CPI(M), however, vehemently denied the accusations, attributing the disruption to a Congress-led conspiracy. They countered the claims by highlighting past instances of the Congress government’s alleged harsh actions against religious institutions and individuals associated with the RSS and VHP. The CPI(M) leader, A.C. Moideen, brought to light the Congress government’s withdrawal of cases against RSS and VHP activists accused of violence, claiming this proved the Congress’ hypocrisy on the issue. The Devaswom Minister, V.N. Vasavan, went further, alleging that a Congress leader was suspected of being involved in the Thrissur Pooram disruption plot and that the Congress was trying to deflect blame by calling for a judicial inquiry.
The debate escalated into a heated exchange, with both sides using the Thrissur Pooram incident to further their political agenda. The Congress, aiming to capitalize on the public’s sentiment towards the festival, presented the government as insensitive and anti-Hindu. The CPI(M), on the other hand, defended its actions and accused the Congress of using the situation for political gain, while also exposing past actions that contradicted their current stance on the issue. The debate ended with the Assembly rejecting the Congress’ motion for an adjournment debate by voice vote, leaving the political ramifications of the Thrissur Pooram controversy unresolved.
Source: Kerala Assembly: Adjournment debate on Thrissur Pooram ‘disruption’ descends into political slugfest