KOCHI: High Court ruled that there should be no weapons training and mass drills on the premises of Chirayinkeezhu Sarkara Devi Temple. A division bench comprising Justice Anil K Narendran and Justice PG Ajith Kumar directed the Devaswom Commissioner and Administrator to ensure this and the police to assist them.

The division bench's verdict was on a petition filed by G Vyasan and KV Vijayakumar, who live near the temple, seeking to stop RSS members from conducting mass drills and weapons training in the temple premises. The petitioners had alleged that the mass drill and weapons training, which lasted from 5 pm to midnight, was causing difficulty to the pilgrims and the stench due to the use of tobacco products in the temple premises was causing discomfort to the devotees. Earlier, a complaint was filed with the Administrative Officer regarding this matter, but no action was taken. The petitioners pointed out that although the Devaswom Commissioner and Administrative Officer had issued a circular that no weapon training and mass drill should be held in this temple which is under the Travancore Devaswom Board, this was not being followed.

Opposite parties Vimal and Babu contended that the allegations of the petitioners were baseless. They stated that no weapons training or mass drills are conducted in the RSS branch and the allegation was politically motivated to humiliate them. Hearing the petition in detail, the High Court pointed out the earlier judgment that politics has no role in the daily worship at the temple. High Court also held that the Devaswom Board authorities have an obligation to ensure that the temple and its premises are used only for purposes related to worship. It was then ordered that there should be no weapons training and mass drills in the Sarkara temple premises.