Attempted to disrupt religious harmony and create riots; Congress lodges complaint against Saji Cheriyan with DGP 

KOTTAYAM: The Congress has lodged a complaint with the DGP demanding that Minister Saji Cheriyan should be booked for his remarks related to the heavy rush in Sabarimala. It was Kottayam DCC president Nattakom Suresh who filed the complaint. In his complaint, Suresh alleged that the minister attempted to disrupt religious harmony and create riots. The complaint was filed against the remark made by the minister during the Nava Kerala Sadas programme in Pampady.

During the Nava Kerala Sadas programme, Saji Cheriyan had said that former Sabarimala Melsanthi Shankaran Namboothiri had said that the Sabarimala issue was politically motivated. He also said that as the Nava Kerala Sadas reached Kottayam, some people were deliberately trying to divert attention by artificially creating a rush at the nearby Sabarimala. He added that the government would investigate this.

Meanwhile, the Devaswom Board informed the High Court that it had received three hundred complaints seeking the High Court's intervention in the problems faced by the pilgrims at Sabarimala. The bench directed the government to provide necessary facilities to the Sabarimala pilgrims as per the court order.