The Bharatiya Janata Party has given a three-hour ultimatum to the State government to resolve the stalemate over the arrival of gender equality activist Trupti Desai, who had announced of her intention to undertake a pilgrimage to Sabarimala, at the Cochin International Airport Limited.
Addressing a large gathering of Ayyappa hymn-chanting protestors gathered in front of the arrival terminal to stop Ms. Desai from leaving the airport, BJP State vice-president A.N. Radhakrishnan said that the faithful will not wait endlessly and demanded the arrest of the activist to put an end to the standoff.
“We are giving the government three hours to arrest and remove Ms. Desai failing which a historic protest will be launched across the State by the devotees,” Mr. Radhakrishnan said. He alleged that Ms. Desai has been invited as the guest of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan as part of a conspiracy to spark off communal riots. What is stopping the government from arresting Ms. Desai who is not a devotee and is intent on creating anarchy, Mr. Radhakrishnan asked.
Another senior BJP leader P..K.Krishnadas accused the State government of inviting anarchists to the State to violate the customs and sabotage Sabarimala Temple. “Any such move will have serious consequences. The government should sent back Ms. Desai the same way as she was brought here,” he said.
Mr. Krishnadas alleged that the airport authorities were playing to the tune of the State government, who has significant stake in the airport, by keeping her at the airport beyond the permissible time.
K. Surendran, State general secretary of BJP, said that government should arrest and remove Ms. Desai from the airport on charge of trying to provoke communal riots and hatred among religions. She has a case charged against her at Pampa police under IPC Sections 153(a), 295 and 295 (a). We will chart our course of action if the government fails to arrest her, he said.