Kerala’s theme of Vaikom Satyagraha and Temple Entry Proclamation for its tableau has allegedly been “unselected” for R-Day 2019 celebrations.
New Delhi: The Sabarimala row is in limelight again as a decision by the defence ministry is likely to trigger another political tussle between the Centre and Kerala.
Sources told News18 that, the defence ministry has “unselected” the state’s float for the parade.
The float’s theme was Renaissance movements such as the Vaikom Satyagraha against untouchability and the Temple Entry Proclamation, reported Mathrubhumi on Monday. It was initially in the list of 19 states that had made the cut. Defence secretary Sanjay Mitra had sent an official letter to all the states selected for presenting their floats.
However, Kerala did not receive the letter and now, sources said the state has been eliminated from the event.
While sources in the Chief Minister’s Office told News18 that they had not received any official word from the Centre on the de-selection, officials in the defence ministry said the state has been informed that their float did not make it to the final list. “On Wednesday, there is a meeting of representatives from states whose floats have been selected. Kerala has not been invited for this meeting and when enquired unofficially, it has been told that the float has not been selected,” the CMO said.
Sources told The New Indian Express the selection is still undecided as the file is still with Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s office. “It’s still with the Defence Minister and I’m not sure of the tableaus of Kerala and Election Commission of India,” a Defence Ministry official said.
Vaikom Satyagraha was a movement against untouchability in the Hindu society that was centred on a temple in Vaikom in 1924-25. The Satyagraha aimed at securing freedom to all sections of society through the public roads leading to the Sri Mahadeva Temple.
It eventually paved the way for the Temple Entry Proclamation, which abolished the ban on the so-called ‘low caste people’ or avarnas from entering Hindu temples.
There are allegations that this is Centre’s way of punishing Pinarayi Vijayan government in the state for accepting the Supreme Court order on women’s entry in Sabarimala.
The state’s floats have been adjudged as the best five times but faced rejected in 2015 and 2016 as well. In 2016, the theme was the now controversial Sabarimala temple of Lord Ayyappa. The state had proposed a tableau on the temple as it was being considered as being developed as a national pilgrim centre.
The temple opened on November 16 for the third time since the Supreme Court in September allowed women of all ages to enter the shrine. But so far, no woman between the ages of 10 and 50 has been able to enter the temple due to massive protests.