Kerala violence: Now, get ready for repercussions, BJP threatens Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan

NEW DELHI: The BJP on Saturday warned the Kerala government to be ready to face the "constitutional consequences" for the violence unleashed against its workers and leaders in the state over the Sabarimala issue.

"We advise, warn and caution the Chief Minister to stop this violence, failing which the CPI-M government will have to face constitutional consequences," Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesman G.V.L. Narasimha Rao said here.

Alleging that BJP activists and leaders were being targeted by the Kerala government under the garb of implementing the Supreme Court judgment permitting entry of all women to the Sabarimala temple, Rao accused Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan of giving a free hand to CPI-M workers to perpetuate violence against BJP supporters.

The saffron party also said the Sabarimala issue was about Hindus and not about the ruling party.

"All this has been done by the CPI(M) goons with the full authority and support of the state government. The CPI(M) has a history of unleashing violence against the RSS-BJP cadre, but today, they are not even sparing the devotees.

"The state government is using the cadres of the DYFI, the SDPI and this is state-sponsored violence being unleashed. A devotee was killed two days ago and a bomb was hurled at the ancestral home of one of our MPs," BJP national spokesperson Narasimha Rao said.

He further said the agitations at the Sabarimala temple were not political in nature, but peaceful protests to uphold the traditions of the shrine.

"This is an issue of devotees, not an issue of the BJP. This is an issue concerning the Hindu society," Rao added.