Overview

• Rajendra Arlekar questioned the political intent behind the Global Ayyappa meeting, saying critics of Bharat Mata and guru puja were posing as Sabarimala devotees.
• He asserted that Bharat Mata imagery and guru puja are cultural practices rather than political statements.
• The comments were delivered on Thursday in Kozhikode during the inauguration of a Navratri event.
• The Global Ayyappa Sangamam at Pampa on September 20 was organised by the Travancore Devaswom Board and inaugurated by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, drawing opposition claims of election-minded planning.
• The confrontation follows earlier disputes over a Bharat Mata portrait at official events and over schools’ Guru Purnima rituals, as the state this week added a Class 10 module outlining a Governor’s powers.