Rape accused Kerala Congress MPs Hibi Eden (Ernakulam), and Benny Behanan (Chalakudy) were both seen at the Edappally church in Ernakulam offering animal sacrifices to their gods. The church is right in the heart of Ernakulam and celebrates its annual festivities, which last 20 days.
Thousands of Christians congregate from all over South Bharat and block the traffic for many days. They loiter around the church all day and night, consume liquor, sacrifice and cook birds, and brawl among themselves. Kerala police never arrest anyone but try hard to maintain peace and order.
What they do in their place of worship does not bother Hindus as long as they keep to themselves. Though Hindus are the victims of enormous traffic blocks and law and order situations, they remain silent. It is the naked discrimination of the constitution that needs to be questioned. Let us check why.
Barely 30 km north lies the Sree Kurumba Bhagavati Temple (Kodungallur Devi Temple), one of the oldest functioning temples in Bharat. Devotees thronged the temple before the current era.
The temple is dedicated to the Bhagavati Bhadrakali, a form of Maha Kali or Parashakthi worshipped in Kerala. Last month, during the temple festivities, the administration arrested oracles who tried to offer the blood of roosters to the deity. Police pounced upon two young men, Adithyanadh Surendran and Sunil Thandassery, who offered the birds as a sacrifice at the ‘Kozhikkallu’ (altar for the birds) at the North Nada of the temple and were quickly taken into custody.
It has become the order of the day. The administration has interfered in Hindu traditions and rituals to appease the Muslims who have now surrounded the Kodungallur temple and the surrounding areas. Those arrested were charged under the 153A of the IPC, which is non-bailable and punishable for up to five years.
Shakti worship practices and animal sacrifices are inseparable and inalterable. Shakti worshippers say that restrictions on animal sacrifice make their prayers incomplete. The Kerala Animals and Birds Sacrifices Prohibition Act, 1968 prohibits appeasing Hindu deities by sacrificing animals and birds.
Multiple cases filed in the Kerala high court have been dismissed with disdain. It reached the Supreme Court, and nothing happened. Discrimination that is more than 50 years old against Hindus continues.
If the object of the law were to ensure the preservation and protection of animals, it would demand its uniform application across all religious communities. Under this law, killing animals, offering them to a deity, and consuming them are not allowed. This draconian law is so biased toward Hindus that the core consideration is that killing or maiming animals for appeasing any Hindu deity alone is banned.
In Christianity, what Eden and Behanan indulged in the church is called the atonement of sins to their god Jesus. They are both accused of raping Saritha S Nair in the infamous Solar scandal. The case has dragged on for many years, but the CBI recently questioned Eden. Both the men are married and have children. Rather shamelessly, Eden’s wife said, ‘Fate is like rape; if you can’t resist it, then try to enjoy it.’
As for Hindus, this means that sinners are allowed animal sacrifices, but Hindu oracles cannot sacrifice a couple of roosters for the region’s good.
