Ready to lay down life for Sabarimala customs: Sobha Surendran

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The NDA is not seeking votes in the name of Lord Ayyappa or the Sabarimala temple but only discussing burning issues connected with the hill shrine, BJP candidate in Kazhakkoottam Sobha Surendran has clarified. Sobha told reporters here on Tuesday that she was ready to sacrifice her life for the sake of protecting the beliefs and customs associated with Sabarimala temple.

However, the BJP leader stood firm on her ‘Poothana’ reference on minister Kadakampally Surendran. She reiterated that voters of Kazhakkoottam want to give ‘moksha’ to the minister from the constituency he represents in the same way as Lord Krishna gave ‘moksha’ to the demoness.

“LDF which tried to wreck the customs and traditions of Sabarimala and the UDF which sat on the gallery watching the ruckus are going to suffer a rout once the results are out,” Sobha said. She said the statements of CPI state secretary Kanam Rajendran and Chief Minster Pinaryi Vijayan show that the LDF is ready to wreck Sabarimala.

The firebrand leader reminded that no BJP worker was sleeping at home when attempts were being made to break the customs associated with the shrine. On the other hand, they were on the streets to protect the beliefs. “Minister Kadakampally was busy in facilitating entry of woman activists dressed up in police uniform into Sabarimala temple. But when the election dawned, he has come up with devotion and regret,” she said.

Sobha asked Kadakampally to clarify if he agreed with Pinarayi’s stance that the government’s affidavit in the Supreme Court on Sabarimala will not be revised. Moving to other issues, the BJP leader also hit out at nepotisms and backdoor appointments carried out by LDF leaders. She said scores of youngsters were still agitating in front of the Secretariat for jobs at a time when the wives and relatives of CPM leaders were appointed to plum posts.

She said Modi government had sanctioned around 300 projects for Kerala. Under the PM Awas Yojana, 1.25 lakh houses were constructed in the state of which 18,600 were in Thiruvananthapuram district.  “It is for the people to decide whether they want Palarivattom flyover-model development that crumbles soon after construction or a Pamban bridge model that lasts forever,” she said.