Reiterating its commitment to the policy of equidistance from all political parties in the coming Lok Sabha elections, the Nair Service Society (NSS) has called upon devotees to make the right choice among the political fronts in Kerala.

In the latest edition of its mouthpiece Service, the NSS noted that the State government had used power and exchequer to silence the Sabarimala devotees, forcing the organisation to take a stance beyond politics even as the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress attempted to take political advantage of the situation.

“The BJP, instead of seeking a legal recourse, resorted to protests for preventing women’s entry to the temple whereas the Congress focused on the legal route and organised protests at the same time,” it said.

‘No steps by govts.’

It should also be noted that the governments at the Centre and the State, as custodians of power, did not initiate any legal steps to protect the fundamental rights of the devotees. For the devotees, the court is the last resort.

Pointing to the sharp fall in the number of devotees in Sabarimala during the recently concluded 10-day festival, it held that no party or the government intervened in the temple’s affairs in view of the election.

“Now that all political fronts have chosen the Sabarimala issue to ensure their victory in the upcoming elections, it is up to the devotees, who stand above all political, religious and caste considerations, to decide on the right of these alliances to seek a mandate in the name of protection of faith,” it added.