Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday blamed the RSS for the violence in Sabarimala temple. He had said that the RSS were bringing in criminals and turning Sabarimala into a land of riot.

In a series of FB posts, Pinarayi Vijayan said, "Sabarimala has a uniqueness that other temples lack; it allows entry for people of all faith. Sangh Parivar and RSS have always been intolerant to this. They have made many attempts to erase this distinction of Sabarimala."

"The role they played in eliminating the rituals performed at Sabarimala by Adivasi-Malayaran community is common knowledge. The present troubles must be seen in this light. The RSS backed attackers are obstructing believers and spreading terror," he said.

Pinarayi Vijayan said, "These attackers are motivated by casteist and feudal ideologies. Encouraging such movements will eventually lead to the banishment of backward classes from places like Sabarimala. All believers must condemn this attack on Sabarimala."

The comments came on a day when several Hindu outfits called a hartal in Kerala to protest the decision to allow women of all age groups to enter the Sabarimala temple. Buses and auto-rickshaws stayed off the road today.