In April, the iconic Thrissur Pooram festival was disrupted for the first time following an 'unnecessary' police intervention, sparking a major political controversy.
Published Sep 25, 2024 | 9:00 AM ⚊ Updated Oct 10, 2024 | 9:18 PM
CPI’s VS Sunil Kumar might have realised that his chances of winning a Lok Sabha seat had been hit hard after the famed Thrissur Pooram was disrupted for the first time on 19 April.
Hours ago, the pooram, denoting the culmination of the 10-day festival of the Vadakkumnathan Temple in Kerala’s cultural capital was paused following an allegedly unnecessary police intervention.
The Thrissur Pooram is more than a festival for most Malayalis, specifically those in the district. It is an emotion, a fusion of Kerala’s soul and heritage.
The pooram fiasco came as Kerala had been witnessing a high-voltage campaign for the Lok Sabha elections. The LDF had fielded Sunil Kumar, a former state minister, while the Congress in a surprise move nominated former MP K Muraleedharan. The BJP had the expected candidate, Suresh Gopi, on the ground.
Following the disruption, the state government assigned Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) MR Ajith Kumar to probe the incident. After much delay and criticism by the Opposition and even LDF constituents, the officer submitted his report to DGP Sheikh Darvesh Saheb on Saturday, 21 September.
Rather than quelling the controversy, the report sparked another row with the CPI and Congress dismissing it. Ajith Kumar ruled out any conspiracy — contrary to what the CPI has been saying — and blamed the inexperience of the then-Thrissur police commissioner Ankit Asokan for the fiasco. The report also said the policemen at pooram grounds were merely following the commissioner’s orders.
Pooram festival. (Creative Commons)
Meanwhile, the BJP opened its account in the Lok Sabha from Kerala. Gopi defeated seasoned politicians Sunil Kumar and Muraleedharan and etched his name in the annals of Kerala’s political history.
Even before the probe report on pooram disruption was submitted, LDF’s independent MLA from Nilambur PV Anvar said the ADGP, too, was responsible for the disruption of the festival.
The incident has since evolved into a political issue, raising concerns about the role of law enforcement and its handling of such significant cultural events.
The Thrissur Pooram was marred by controversy due to police actions. Barricades were erected at Swaraj Round by 10 pm to manage crowds for the 3 am fireworks, blocking access for many attendees eager to enjoy the night festivities.
This disruption also affected the Thiruvambadi deity’s procession, with the police closing all routes to the Vadakkumnathan Temple, leading to frustration among the crowd.
Vadakkumnathan Temple (Kerala Tourism))
When attendees questioned the police, tensions escalated, resulting in a lathi charge. A complaint by the Thiruvambadi Devaswom against the police went unaddressed. Subsequently, the procession was abandoned midway, with only one elephant participating instead of nine, and the music fell silent by 1:30 am.
The situation worsened when police attempted to remove fireworks from the venue, leading to a confrontation with the crowd, who chanted “Police go back.”
Local political figures, including BJP candidate Gopi, UDF’s Muraleedharan, LDF’s Sunil Kumar, and Minister K Rajan intervened, resulting in the fireworks finally starting at 7:15 am, four hours late.
CPI(M) state secretary M.V. Govindan criticised the police action, promising an investigation. The event was marked by poor traffic management and ongoing tensions throughout the night.
Following the government’s order for an “immediate” inquiry, ADGP Ajith Kumar took five months to submit the report to the state police chief.
Sunil Kumar stated that he could not accept the investigation report. He emphasised the importance of reviewing the report officially before making public comments. He felt that the report’s conclusion, which claimed no external interference, did not align with his understanding.
He expressed the belief that Thrissur Pooram should remain a celebration free from political influences and hoped for no further incidents like that happened early this year. While acknowledging the blame placed on Ajith Kumar regarding the situation, he asserted that the pooram cannot be solely affected by the actions of one commissioner. He said he would respond further in the matter after thoroughly reviewing the report.
Congress leader Muraleedharan also rejected Ajith Kumar’s report, expressing distrust in its findings and calling for a judicial inquiry. Muraleedharan highlighted that the political dynamics shifted significantly due to the pooram issue, suggesting that discussions Ajith Kumar had with the RSS about a year ago were aimed at benefitting both the BJP and CPI(M).
Suresh Gopi’s declaration of his intention to “take Thrissur” initially made troll factories go on an overdrive, as many viewed his aspirations unrealistic in Kerala’s bipolar politics, where the Congress and the Left alternated in power.
Actor-politician Suresh Gopi celebrates his victory in the Lok Sabha polls. (X)
However, the political landscape shifted dramatically within a few months. Gopi emerged as the BJP’s first and only Lok Sabha MP from Kerala, winning a historic victory by defeating Sunil Kumar by a margin of 74,000 votes in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
This milestone marked a significant breakthrough for the BJP and earned Gopi a place in the Modi 3.0 Cabinet.
Sunil Kumar and Muraleedharan claimed that the police’s actions and the subsequent controversies significantly influenced Gopi’s victory. They questioned Gopi’s dramatic appearance with RSS leaders on pooram night.
Muraleedharan contended that the pooram rituals were deliberately disrupted, asserting, “I firmly believe that the chief minister was involved in this. It appeared to be a staged event aimed at ensuring the success of BJP candidate Suresh Gopi.”
