Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday lashed out against the RSS and BJP for politicising the Sabarimala temple entry issue and blamed them for fanning violence across the state with political gains in mind.

The local BJP leaders in Kerala are in the forefront of the protests by devotees against the Supreme Court order that allowed women entry into the holy shrine in a judgement last month. But the devout devotees across Kerala, including women, are on a protest mode against the judgment. The BJP immediately jumped in, tapping this anger into a potent movement against the allegedly atheist government led by the CPM.

The government on its part refused to file a review petition against the SC order and said it was firm on implementing the apex court order. But on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, violent protesters hurled stones at women who wanted to enter the temple and also physically prevented women journalists from going anywhere near the temple.

In fact, a New York Times journalist who managed to get far as a Pamba returned after she was greeted with stones and intimidation from slogan shouting aggressive protesters.

The Chief Minister, who is abroad in the Gulf on an official visit, was monitoring the situation and had given strict instructions to the police to maintain law and order at all costs. The CM too in his facebook post blamed the RSS and BJP for vitiating the atmosphere and indulging in violence.

Local administration has taken note of the development and was stepping up security in and around the temple to try and keep the women and journalists safe.

The local BJP unit claiming to be not a part of the violent protests said that the state government should take the sentiments of the masses into consideration and file an appeal in the court. The Congress too sat on the side lines, holding protests, to corner the CPM government on the law and order issue.

It is a failure of the state government on the law and order front, both the BJP and the Congress allege.

Clearly, the fight has only just begun and each day will unfold new episodes in this big battle between differing views of thought and action.