P Sathasivam, Governor of Kerala, informed Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan his concern and displeasure over the behavior of Yatheesh Chandra, police officer, towards Pon Radhakrishnan, Union Minister of State for Finance, Surface Transport and shipping when the latter visited Sabarimala on Wednesday. He also told the Chief Minister about his unhappiness over the slapping of Section 144 at the shrine.
The Governor invited the Chief Minister to Raj Bhavan on Thursday to discuss various issues concerning Sabarimala. Delegations of various political parties including the Congress, the principal opposition party, had called on the Governor early this week and had briefed him about the shortcomings at Sabarimala.
“I highlighted the grievance expressed by Shri. Pon Radhakrishnan, Hon. Minister of State for Finance & Shipping. Need to improve transport facility between Nilackal and Pampa also was discussed in meeting with the Chief Minister,” the Governor posted in his social media site after the meeting which lasted for 30 minutes.
“I discussed with the chief minister the measures to address complaints on lack of basic amenities like drinking water, toilets and rest rooms at Nilackal, Pampa and on way to Sanidhanam,” said the Governor after the meeting.
Sabarimala had witnessed unpleasant scenes when union minister Pon Radhakrishnan visited the shrine on Wednesday. Yatheesh Chandra, a superintendent of police ‘misbehaved’ with the union minister when the former was asked why private vehicles and outstation vehicles were not being allowed at Pamba. The officer shouted at Radhakrishnan asking whether he would take the responsibility for the same.
The Governor also discussed complaints he received about police action and possibilities of lifting restrictions imposed through Section 144 of the CrPC . The misbehaviour of the Kerala Police officer towards Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan had its fall out in Tamil Nadu .
“Various directions of Kerala High Court with regard to Sabarimala also discussed. The chief minister assured that all these issues will be looked into and acted upon as early as possible,” the Governor said in the social media posting.
“It was an irresponsible behaviour from a responsible police officer and the whole of Tamil Nadu is upset over it,” said Thiruppati Narayanan, BJP’s Tamil Nadu spokesman. The Keralite expatriates in the State too expressed their anguish over the incident. “This kind of attitude by the Kerala Police would reflect on the safety and security of the Keralites in Tamil Nadu. We have already experienced the ire of Tamil Nadu people over the Mullaperiyar issue,” said Praveen Pillai, entrepreneur based at Chennai.
Kanyakumari district BJP unit has called for a bundh on Friday to protest against the humiliation of Pon Radhakrishnan at Sabarimala on Wednesday. “We are also shocked over the misbehaviour of police towards hundreds of Ayyappa devotees from the district who had gone to Sabarimala,” said Sundar, Kanyakumari district leader of the party.