Kerala minister G Sudhakaran says ‘Sabarimala donkeys have more grace than priests’  

G Sudhakaran.

G Sudhakaran, Kerala’s PWD minister and a senior leader of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), on Sunday, slammed the Sabarimala temple priests (tantris) saying the donkeys in the temple town have more grace.

Sudhakaran has been upset with the Sabarimala tantri family since the time they threatened to close the temple gates in case any woman in the age group of 10 to 50 arrives to pray at the shrine in line with a Supreme Court verdict, which allowed women of all ages to enter into the temple.

Sudhakaran said they (tantris) do not appear to have any attachment or concern towards Lord Ayyappa. He said, “At the temple town, it is the donkeys that do most of the work. Till date they have not gone on any protest. After their hard work they take rest near the Pamba river. These donkeys have more grace than the tantric.”

The Kantararu family holds the ritual-performing rights of the Sabarimala temple and the present chief tantri is Kantararu Rajeevaru. Rajeevaru threatened to close the temple gates when activist women marched to the temple under armed-police protection amid violent protests. A “contempt of court” case has been filed against Rajeevaru for this.

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