New Delhi, In response to a recent High Court verdict, the government of the Indian state of Kerala has imposed restrictions on the RSS and other Hindutva organisations, preventing them from operating within the precincts of temples overseen by the state.

According to a news release by Kashmir Media Service, the directive comes from the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), a Kerala government entity in charge of approximately 1,200 temples in the region. On October 20, the board disseminated a circular to its officials emphasizing the need for unanticipated inspections at temples. The intent is to confirm that neither the RSS nor other groups with extreme ideologies are holding meetings, drills, congregations, or arms training sessions at these sacred sites.

The impetus for this decision arose from concerns regarding reported infringements by the RSS and associated entities. Allegations suggest that these groups have trespassed on numerous temple territories, compromising the sacred integrity of these spaces and potentially contravening the expectations of worshippers. Additional reports indicate that, under the cloak of darkness, weapons training and large-scale drills are being held by these organizations.

Officials have been forewarned that failure to monitor and prevent the activities of the RSS or similar extremist factions at temple locations will lead to severe consequences. Furthermore, the hoisting of monochromatic flags resembling those of political or religious bodies, interpreted as an implicit reference to the RSS, has been deemed inappropriate within temple confines.

The circular also mandated the removal of photographs unrelated to temple subjects, emblems of political factions, communal organizations, and flags from temple environments with immediate effect.

For perspective, Kerala boasts five independently-operated, state-sponsored Devaswom (temple) boards. Collectively, they oversee more than 3,000 temples. These include the Travancore Devaswom Board with 1,250 temples, the Cochin board managing 406, the Malabar board overseeing 1,357, the Guruvayur board with 11, and the Koodalmanikyam board which looks after 12 temples.

In retaliation to the board’s instructions, the RSS has voiced its opposition, suggesting that this move is an attempt by the Communist Party of India Marxist to dominate the daily operations of the state’s temples.