THIRUVANANTHAPURAM • In a major political and administrative shift, the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), with the apparent backing of Kerala’s LDF government, has initiated legal consultations to amend the controversial affidavit it filed in the Supreme Court that supported the entry of women of all ages into the Sabarimala temple.
The move is being widely seen as a politically calculated course correction by the ruling CPM-led front ahead of the upcoming legislative assembly elections. The timing is crucial, as the government is also organizing a grand “Ayyappa Sangamam” (Ayyappa Conclave) in Pamba on September 20th, in a significant outreach to the Hindu faithful.
TDB President P.S. Prasanth confirmed that the board will adopt a stance that protects the age-old customs and rituals of the shrine. This follows high-level discussions between board officials and the state’s law and devaswom departments. However, any change to the affidavit is impossible without the state government’s consent, and sources indicate a “green signal” has already been given.
This marks a dramatic reversal from the government’s 2018 position, when it actively moved to implement the Supreme Court’s verdict allowing women’s entry, leading to widespread protests. CPM State Secretary M.V. Govindan recently stated that the party and government are “with the believers” and that the women’s entry issue is now a “closed chapter.”
The opposition UDF and BJP have heavily criticized the move, questioning the government’s sincerity and labeling the Ayyappa Sangamam an “election gimmick” to heal the wounds it inflicted on believers’ sentiments.
The LDF’s change in strategy is believed to be a direct consequence of its heavy losses in the last Lok Sabha elections, which the party attributed to the alienation of a significant section of the majority community. In a bid to win back support, the CPM has managed to secure the conditional cooperation of the Nair Service Society (NSS), a formidable community organization that had spearheaded the protests against women’s entry.
While the SNDP’s backing is also anticipated, leaders like KPMS General Secretary Punnala Sreekumar have warned the government against reversing its progressive stance, cautioning it could lead to a “huge setback.”
The entire episode brings the LDF government’s 2018 legal strategy into sharp focus. Its decision to withdraw the previous UDF government’s affidavit—which supported tradition—and file a new one in favor of women’s entry was the critical turning point that led to the Supreme Court’s landmark verdict. Now, as the government attempts to distance itself from that very stance, all eyes are on how it will navigate this complex political and religious landscape.
