Key facts
- Former Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president A Padmakumar has reportedly made disclosures about the 2019 Sabarimala women's entry.
- Padmakumar allegedly claimed he and a senior police officer were deliberately kept away from the temple premises on the day two women entered.
- He reportedly alleged that a "highly influential person" orchestrated this move.
- The CPI(M) stated that Padmakumar should clarify these allegations himself.
- Padmakumar was previously jailed in connection with the Sabarimala gold loss case and subsequently removed from party responsibilities.
The politically sensitive Sabarimala women's entry issue has resurfaced in Kerala following media reports of alleged disclosures by former Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) president A Padmakumar. Padmakumar reportedly claimed that he and a senior police officer, S Sreejith, were deliberately kept away from the temple premises on the day two women of menstruating age entered the hill shrine in 2019, following a Supreme Court verdict.
According to media reports, Padmakumar alleged that this move was orchestrated by a "highly influential person" with considerable sway in both the CPI(M) party and the then Left government. He is also reported to have claimed that he was asked to avoid travelling to Sabarimala on that day and instead proceed to Thiruvananthapuram.
The CPI(M) has indicated reluctance to directly respond to the claims. State secretary M V Govindan stated that any clarification should come from Padmakumar himself, emphasizing that it is not the party's responsibility to respond to all allegations. Govindan noted that Padmakumar, a former CPI(M) MLA, was removed from all party responsibilities after being named an accused and jailed in the Sabarimala gold loss case.
Organizational action against Padmakumar, if any, will be decided by the CPI(M)'s Pathanamthitta district committee, Govindan added. The Sabarimala women's entry controversy stems from a September 2018 Supreme Court verdict that struck down the practice barring women aged 10 to 50 from entering the shrine. The verdict triggered widespread protests, and the issue intensified in January 2019 when two women entered the temple under police protection, leading to significant political and social confrontations.