UDF fooling people with announcing law against women entering Sabarimala: A Vijayaraghavan

Communist Party of India (Marxist) state secretary A Vijayaraghavan on Saturday said Congress-led United Democratic Front's (UDF) announcement about making a law against the entry of women in Sabarimala was a "programme to fool the people".

"First, the UDF is not going to come to power. The other thing is that legislation cannot be made on a matter which is under the consideration of the larger bench of the court. It has no legal authority to do it," said Vijayaraghavan in a statement.

"The law passed in 1995 under the leadership of AK Antony to overturn the Supreme Court judgment did not exist. The state legislature cannot take the decision on a matter which has to be decided by the court. If the court decides, the government should act accordingly. That is the rule of law," he added.

However, Vijayaraghavan said the state government will act according to the decision of the Supreme Court and said the new announcement was part of the UDF agenda to fool the people.

"It is once again clear that the Congress has political leadership that feeds by fooling the people. The people will reject it," said Vijayaraghavan.

On Friday, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said that Congress is using the Sabarimala issue as their election propaganda.

"People of Kerala have rejected it in local body election. Congress thinks they can get votes in the Assembly election in the name of Sabarimala," said Vijayan.

UDF on Saturday announced that if it is voted to power in upcoming Assembly elections, it would pass a legislation on Sabarimala to protect the customs of the shrine.

Assembly elections in Kerala are due later this year.

( With inputs from ANI )