The news appeared in today's Hindustan Times telling the following facts.
Makaravilakku Celebrations @ Punalur Bus Station (File Picture)
Ban on display of religious motifs on special services being operated by the Karala state Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) to pilgrim centres has sparked strong protest from the Hindu organisations in Kerala, alleging it is targetted against the Sabarimala pilgrimage. What has angered the Hindu
outfits including the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) is a specific direction in the circular that words like "Swami Saranam" and "Amme Narayana" should not be displayed on buses bound for pilgrim centres including the famed Sabarimala hillshrine.
The order, circulated to all units of KSRTC across the state, has asked the unit heads to stop the practice of displaying "religious verses,emblems or flags" on the the special services being operated to pilgrim centres.
Kummanam Rajasekharan,state general secretary of VHP, alleged that order was meant against the Sabarimala, where the pilgrimage seaon is starting in November.
"It has been a long practice to display pictures of Lord Ayyappa and also stickers on special services operated to the billshrine's base camp Pampa by the KSRTC.This helps millions of pilgrims coming from ohter states to immediately spot buses bound for Sabarimala", Rajasekharan said.
When asked about the controversy, a top KSRTC official said that the Government was seized of the matter and a decision was expected to be announced factoring in the sentiments experessed various quarters.
This is wrong on the part of KSRTC to stop displaying Swami Sharanam and put Lord Ayyappa stickers. I have traveled to Sabarimala few times and including me 80% of pilgrims does not know Malayalam and they just board the bus seeing Lord Ayyappa stickers. This is not the issue to politised by KSRTC but rather use it for its advantage
ReplyDeleteI agree with comment above. I am catholic myself and do not feel that the display of Lord Ayyapa on buses bound to Sabarimala is in a bad taste. I have seen stickers of St. George and St Mary on buses bound for Edathua and Velankanni. Our state's pride is its tolerant and secular people, bigots like kummanam rajashekaran should not be allowed to get political mileage out of such small things.
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