Sabarimala row: Alphons hits out at Kerala govt, 68 people taken into custody

Agencies
November 19, 2018

Sabarimala, Nov 19: Union Minister K J Alphons Monday slammed the Kerala government for turning the Sabarimala Temple complex into a "war zone" and lack of facilities at the shrine even as police detained 68 people from the complex in the early hours for holding protests.

Protests are being held across Kerala against the detention of the 68 persons even as the BJP demanded a judicial probe into the police action.

The sanctum sanctorum of the Lord Ayyappa Temple opened Monday morning with very few devotees turning up early.

Police sources told PTI that 68 persons had been taken into preventive custody from the temple complex and brought to the Manniyar camp early this morning.Their details are being verified and their arrests have not been recorded yet.

Alphons, who arrived at Nilackal, the base camp, Monday morning, told reporters, "The state government has turned the temple complex into a war zone. The devotees are not militants, they are pilgrims." 

"What was the need to declare Section 144 at Sabarimala," he asked.

The minister said there was lack of basic facilities at the temple complex.

The union government had provided Rs 100 crore for putting up various facilities at Sabarimala, he said.

The minister's visit comes hours after the late night developments in Sabarimala when hundred-odd devotees held protests while chanting "nama japam" (chanting in the name of Lord Ayyappa) on Sunday.

The protest by devotees at the 'sannidhanam,' on the second day of the two-month long pilgrim season, resulted in police taking into custody 68 persons early Monday morning, the first such incident witnessed at Sabarimala.

This had also led to protests across the state, including in front of the official residence of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in Thiruvananthapuram.

Those taken into custody have been brought to the Manniyar police camp and BJP leaders led by Shobha Surendran are holding "nama japam" protest in front of the camp.

Hindu Aikya Vedi President, K P Sasikala, who is on her way to the shrine with her family members in connection with the "chorunnu ceremony" (rice feeding) of her grandsons, was served notice by Superintendent of Police Yatish Chandra at Nilackal this morning, asking her not to remain at the 'sannidhanam' beyond six hours.

The KSRTC bus in which Sasikala was travelling with family members was stopped and the notice served by police personnel.

Chandra later told reporters that Sasikala has promised to return and gave an assurance that she was not going to the temple for creating any trouble.

"Our aim is not to trouble anyone. We want devotees not to stay back at the sannidhanam, but come back. This will enable devotees to worship peacefully," the officer said. 

Sasikala was taken into preventive custody from near the temple premises two days ago for flouting police regulations and had been released after being produced before the Magistrate.

Describing the arrests as "cruel", BJP state unit President, P S Sreedharan Pillai, said the party wants a judicial probe into it.

The pilgrims were peacefully protesting at 'sannidhanam' against the lack of facilities and stringent restrictions imposed by the police at the temple complex.

Devotees chanting 'nama japam' had gathered at the covered pathway to the temple and had refused to disperse even after the shrine closed at 11 pm.

Since prohibitory orders had been imposed, police informed them that they should leave and cannot stay back.

Police sources said they had information that the protesters might create trouble at 'Sannidhanam' and they had take precautionary measures accordingly.

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News Network
July 25,2020

New Delhi, Jul 25: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday accused the government of benefitting by making profits during the coronavirus-induced lockdown when people were in trouble.

He tagged a news report that claimed the Indian Railways was making profit by running 'Shramik trains' for transporting migrants during the pandemic.

"There are clouds of disease and people are in trouble, but one seeks to benefit -- this anti-people government is converting a disaster into profits and is earning," he said in a tweet in Hindi.

The news report claimed that the railways made a profit of Rs 428 crore by running Shramik special trains during the lockdown that transported migrants to their native places.

In another tweet, he lauded the efforts of the Himachal government in conducting a survey to select 'one district, one product', saying he had suggested this sometime back.

"This is a good idea. I had suggested it some time back. Its implementation will need a complete change of mindset," he said on Twitter.

He also tagged a report that stated the state Industries Department is conducting a baseline survey in all districts to select one district, one product for centrally-sponsored Micro and Small Enterprises Cluster Development Programme (MSE-CDP). 

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News Network
March 31,2020

Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 31: Kerala reported its second COVID-19 death after a 68-year-old man being treated for the virus, died at the Government Medical College Hospital here in the early hours on Tuesday.

The victim, Abdul Aziz, a retired ASI hailing from Pothencode here, was admitted to the isolation ward on March 23 with the symptoms of the Corona infection. He was also suffering from lung and kidney diseases.

Though his first test result for COVID-19 turned negative, the second test result confirmed positive, official sources said.

However, it was not known from where he caught the virus infection. leaving chances for a secondary contract of a COVID-19 patient.

His funeral will take place as per the protocol, the sources added.

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News Network
February 3,2020

New Delhi, Feb 3: In the third such incident inside of a week, two unidentified persons opened fire outside Gate No. 5 of Jamia Millia Islamia on Sunday night, the Jamia Coordination Committee (JCC) said.

A statement issued by the committee, a group comprising students and alumni of the university formed to protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act, said the attackers were on a red Rcooty.

No one was injured in the attack. One of the miscreants was wearing a red jacket, the statement said.

"Firing has taken place at Gate No.5 of Jamia Millia Islamia right now by two unidentified persons. As per report, one of them was wearing a red jacket and driving a red Scooty having vehicle no. 1532 or 1534," the statement said.

Police said they were verifying the JCC's claims.

Asim Mohammed Khan, former Congress MLA from Okhla, said the incident occurred around 11.30 pm. "We heard the gunshot. That is when we stepped out to see and the two men left on a Scooty," a student said.

"We have taken down the vehicle number and called police," he added.

This is the third firing incident in the Jamia Nagar area in a week.

On Thursday, a minor fired at anti-CAA protesters marching towards Rajghat, injuring a student.

Two days later, a 25-year-old fired two rounds in air in Shaheen Bagh in Jamia Nagar. No one was hurt in the incident.

The incident on Sunday night triggered panic in the area. A police vehicle had reached the spot after the incident but was chased away by angry students.

Hundreds of students and locals gathered outside the university.

Many raised slogans against the Delhi Police. They also staged a dharna outside the Jamia Nagar police station.

Shezad Ahmed, a JMI student and resident of Zakir Nagar, said they were not even allowed to protest peacefully.

"We are not going to be deterred by such incidents. We will continue with our protest," he added.

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