Despite violent protests and political backlash, the CPI(M)-led LDF facilitated the entry of two women into the hill shrine in 2019. Six years later, the same government and its allies now sound more cautious, even deferential to tradition and the sentiments of devotees.
Published Sep 04, 2025 | 9:00 AM ⚊ Updated Sep 04, 2025 | 9:00 AM
CPI(M) and the court order on Sabarimala.
Synopsis: The CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front in Kerala, once a staunch defender of women’s right to enter Sabarimala, now seems to be repositioning itself as a protector of faith ahead of local body and Assembly elections. This recalibration appears to be a careful retracing of the steps the Left took in 2019, after facilitating the entry of two women into the shrine despite fierce resistance. Though it has raised questions about a regression to square one, it also appears to be a ploy to blunt the BJP’s advantage on the issue.
When the Supreme Court in 2018 struck down a 1991 Kerala High Court verdict that upheld the centuries-old practice of prohibiting women of menstruating age from entering the Sabarimala temple, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)]-led Left Democratic Alliance (LDF) government in Kerala stood firmly by the apex court.
Despite violent protests and political backlash, it facilitated the entry of two women, Bindu Ammini and Kanakadurga, into the hill shrine, invoking constitutional rights and gender equality.
Six years later, the tone has shifted. The same government and its allies now sound more cautious, even deferential to the sentiments of traditionalists.
A clear indication came on 1 September at a press conference convened by Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president PS Prasanth. The press meet was in connection with the upcoming Global Ayyappa Sangamam.
He hinted that the Board might revisit its position before the Supreme Court.
“We will try to convince the Supreme Court about the rituals and practices in Sabarimala in consultation with legal experts. Whatever needs to be done after such consultations, we will do it. Everyone knows the practices followed at Sabarimala,” he said.
His comments were interpreted as the Board, which functions under the aegis of the state government, now upholding the belief that Lord Ayyappa at Sabarimala is celibate and therefore women of menstruating age must be barred.
It marks a significant departure from the Board’s earlier support for women’s entry, raising speculation of a realignment with traditionalists and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-Sangh Parivar’s long-standing demands.
For the Left, the Sabarimala row fetched more brickbats than laurels, leaving a deep dent in its Hindu vote bank.
With local body polls and Assembly elections fast approaching, the pull of faith and votes seems to have eclipsed the push for reform and rights, with the party and its allies now speaking of safeguarding “true devotees” and protecting traditions.
CPI(M) state secretary MV Govindan recently underscored this shift by declaring that the entry of women into Sabarimala was now a “thing in the past” (adanja adhyayam).
“The vast majority of people in the country are believers. Communalists are trying to exploit them. Believers can never be communalists, and communalists cannot be believers. The CPI(M) has never stood against faith – not yesterday, not today, and not tomorrow,” Govindan told reporters.
By framing itself as a defender of believers while branding the BJP as manipulators of faith, the CPI(M) is attempting to reclaim the political ground it lost in 2019 when the Sabarimala protests dented its support.
The contrast with past actions is sharp. Devaswom Minister VN Vasavan, when asked whether activist Bindu Ammini – one of the two women who entered the shrine in 2019 with government support – would be invited to the Sangamam, replied curtly that the event was only for “real devotees.”
This is in stark contrast to the government’s earlier insistence on implementing the apex court’s verdict, even escorting the women to the sanctum despite violent opposition.
Meanwhile, BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Tuesday criticised the CPI(M) over its changing stance, saying the party was once again insulting Ayyappa devotees by calling the controversy a “thing in the past”.
He demanded that the Travancore Devaswom Board and the state government withdraw the affidavit they had filed in the Supreme Court against Sabarimala rituals.
“The CPI(M)’s talk of devotion is mere political opportunism ahead of elections. Hindu believers have not forgotten the unhealed wound the LDF government inflicted in 2018,” he said, accusing the ruling front of exploiting devotees for political gain.
In the immediate aftermath of the Supreme Court verdict in September 2018, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan declared that the government had no option but to implement the ruling, while Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran welcomed the judgment, assuring that women devotees would be protected if they chose to climb the sacred hills.
CPI(M) state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan echoed the view, but stressed that the party would not “march women” to Sabarimala against their will.
In an article published in the party mouthpiece Deshabhimani, he described the restrictions at the hill shrine as an “echo of an outdated class system which was keen to retain male dominance in society and discriminate against women in public space and places of worship.”
He made clear the party’s view: “CPI(M) supports the entry of women of all age groups at Sabarimala.” He also alleged that “those who wish to establish the erstwhile feudal system can see it as an issue of rituals and traditions.”
The government’s constitutional stance, however, triggered unprecedented protests from traditionalists and right-wing groups, turning the hill shrine into a battleground.
Matters reached a flashpoint on 2 January 2019 when two women, Bindu Ammini and Kanakadurga, entered the temple under police protection.
Vijayan defended the move as the implementation of the court’s order, while Surendran clarified that the entry was not orchestrated by the state.
The backlash was immediate, with purification rituals held by priests and the BJP-led opposition branding it as an assault on faith. Soon after, the LDF shifted to a cautious posture.
By 2021, Surendran admitted that the turbulence “should never have happened,” reflecting the political tightrope the Left had to walk between constitutional obligation and social backlash.
While the TDB now speaks of “convincing the Supreme Court about rituals,” the BJP had earlier openly declared that if it came to power, it would legislate in Parliament to restore the traditional ban.
That move has not materialised, but the CPI(M)’s recalibration may blunt the BJP’s advantage on the issue.
The Global Ayyappa Sangamam, backed by community organisations such as NSS, SNDP, KPMS and Malayaraya Mahasabha, is projected as an apolitical platform for devotees worldwide to discuss Sabarimala’s development.
Yet it has unmistakably become a stage for political repositioning.
According to the TDB, the Global Ayyappa Sangamam on 20 September is designed to position Sabarimala as an inclusive global pilgrimage destination open to all, irrespective of caste or religion.
TDB president PS Prasanth stated that the event would serve as a forum to deliberate on the temple’s future, including the proposed Sabarimala airport, railway connectivity, and the government’s Master Plan for the hill shrine.
It will also give devotees across the world a chance to share their experiences and suggestions.
Amid allegations that the event was conceived by the state government, Prasanth revealed that the idea originated with Ayyappa devotees in Malaysia and Singapore, who highlighted the challenges faced by international pilgrims and expressed their wish to contribute to discussions on Sabarimala’s development.
The proposal was later endorsed by the Devaswom Minister and the state government, he said.
Acknowledging that the event may invite criticism, Prasanth stressed that the Sangamam would remain apolitical, bringing together devotees and people’s representatives on a common platform.
Around 3,000 specially invited participants are expected to attend, including 800 from Kerala, 500 from Tamil Nadu, 250 from Karnataka, 750 from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, 200 from other Indian states, and 500 from overseas.
Only those registered through the Sabarimala virtual queue portal will be permitted entry. Invitations have also been sent to representatives of major Ayyappa temples across the country.
The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation will operate 25 air-conditioned low-floor buses for delegates, with accommodation arranged in nearby districts.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will inaugurate the conference, which has also extended invitations to the Chief Ministers of South Indian states, Goa and Maharashtra, as well as Devaswom Ministers from across the country.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
