By Gilvester Assary

Copyright deccanchronicle

Thiruvananthapuram: With the Supreme Court and High Court granting approval and major Hindu community organisations in Kerala expressing their support, the CPM-led LDF Government has got the ideal environment for holding the grand Global Ayyappa Sangamam on the banks of the Pampa River on September 20.The Supreme Court on Wednesday declined to intervene against a previous Kerala High Court order allowing the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) to conduct the Sangamam. The courts only directed the organisers to ensure the sanctity of the temple is maintained and the rights of the devotees are not infringed. However, on the political front, the Congress and the BJP have come out strongly against the government, accusing it of organising the event for political mileage. But the support from organisations like the Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam (SNDP) representing the dominant OBC Ezhava community, the Nair Service Society (NSS) of the influential Nair community and KPMS , a prominent Dalit organisation, has come as a major boost for the government. These groups have agreed to send their representatives to the Sangamam. The NSS, which had strongly opposed the Pinarayi government over the women’s temple entry issue, has softened its stance, offering much-needed relief to the LDF. Over 3000 devotees from around the globe are expected to participate in the Sangamam, which also marks the platinum jubilee celebrations of the TDB. Kerala Devaswom minister V N Vasavan stated that the Sangamam’s goal is to spread the message of “Tatvamasi” (That you are) worldwide and position Sabarimala as a divine, traditional and sustainable global pilgrimage destination. He highlighted that the Sangamam would celebrate Lord Ayyappa’s legacy, address concerns raised by the organisations representing Ayyappa devotees and outline the government’s development plans. These include the 1300 crore Sabairmala Master Plan, which encompasses a ropeway project, a proposed new airport in Pathanamthitta, rail connectivity and the introduction of helitaxi services for pilgrims. Meanwhile, grand preparations are underway for the Sangamam, with the administration setting up reception centres along the main roads leading to Pampa. Critics claim that the LDF government, which had taken a firm stand supporting the entry of women between the ages of 10 and 50 based on the Supreme Court verdict, has watered down its earlier gender justice stand. The Congress-led UDF has called the event a CPM ploy to attract the Hindu community ahead of the local body and assembly polls. They pointed out that the government has not withdrawn cases against Ayyappa devotees from the 2018 protests. Opposition Leader V D Satheeshan alleged that the conclave was a political fraud against the devotees. He questioned whether the LDF government would revoke its earlier affidavit supporting women’s entry . The Sangh Parivar groups, including the BJP and Hindu Aikya Vedi , have strongly opposed the Ayyappa Sangamam, accusing the LDF government of betraying the Hindu community. The BJP claims that the event is driven more by political and business motives than religious purposes. These outfits plan to hold a parallel Sangamam at Pandalam later this month. Critics of the SanghParivar argue that the BJP, RSS and Hindu Aikya Vedi incited violence in the protests against women’s entry. In 2018, senior BJP leader and former Goa Governor P S Sreedharan Pillai called the issue a “golden opportunity” during a speech in Kozhikode. The Kerala High Court in 2024 dismissed the case against him for the remarks. ON the other hand, the Left camp accuses the Sangh Parivar of constantly attempting communal polarisation over the Sabarimala issue. Key Hindu community organisations like SNDP, NSS and KPMS backing the government have further weakened the BJP’s position. The Global Ayyappa Sangamam is seen by many as a tactical move by the CPM government to appeal to Hindus and counter the BJP’s growing influence in the community. Political observers believe that the event is likely to create a positive environment for the ruling party ahead of the local body polls this year and the crucial assembly elections in April 2026. However, the main question remains whether the CPM’s Hindu outreach programme will harm its secular image.