Thiruvananthapuram: On Sunday, spiritual leader Mata Amritanandamayi will be the chief guest at the Ayyappa Bhakta Sanghamam programme in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. Over 2 lakh devotees will participate in the Ayyappa Bhakta Sangamam, which is organised by the BJP and other Sangh Parivar outfits. The event is scheduled at 4 pm and will take place at Putharikandam ground.

The Ayyappa devotees will participate in the ‘Nama Japa Yatra’ as part of the programme. As per reports, devotees from Kottayam, Pathanamthitta, Alappuzha, Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram will come for the programme, which will conclude at East Fort.  

Karma Samithi national president Justice N Kumar, vice president Justice Jayachandran, TP Senkumar and SJR Kumar will lead the delegation. The team will also meet the heads of major national media organisations in this regard.

The organisers had said that almost two lakh devotees would participate in the ‘Nama Japa Yatra’ as part of the programme.

Meanwhile, CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan has come forward mocking Mata Amrithanandamayi for her participation in the  Ayyappa Bhakta Sangamam, organised by the BJP. He said, “Amrithanandamayi, who is celibate, has met many male and female devotees alike in her life. Did she lose her celibacy?”

Balakrishnan also said that Amrithanandamayi is participating in this event in order to unite the right-wing groups in Kerala. And asked what is the logic behind her participation in the Ayyappa Bhakta Sangamam.

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Similarly, on December 26, the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Sabarimala Karma Samithi conducted an Ayyappa Jyothi programme across the state. It was a human chain along the national highway from Manjeswaram (Kasaragod district) to Parassala (Thiruvananthapuram district).

Lakhs of people took part in the Ayyappa Jyothi. It was organised as an initiative demanding that traditions and customs of Sabarimala be preserved.

Women, men and even children lined up along the 765-km stretch between Kasaragod and Thiruvananthapuram to attend the Ayyappa Jyothi.

Several leaders from the BJP, RSS and many other Hindu organisations such as Nair Service Society took part in the Ayyappa Jyothi programme. Apart from Kerala, the Ayyappa Jyothi was lit in 11 other states too.

Later, the Kerala Police registered cases against 1,400 persons for attending the Ayyappa Jyothi event.