RSS leader R Rajesh has been suspended from the Ayurveda Department for participating in the Namajapa protests at the Sabarimala Sannidhanam late Sunday evening. The Ernakulam native holds the position of pharmacist at the Malayatoor government Ayurveda dispensary.
Rajesh was among 60 others belonging to right wing outfits, who were arrested from the Sanndihanam late Sunday evening for protesting against the prohibitory orders imposed by the district administration. They were arrested and demanded to 14 days judicial remand when they defied prohibitory orders at the Sabarimala temple.
Speaking to mediapersons, Rajesh said that the group consisted of devotees and they started reciting prayers. However, the police did not allow them to do so citing Section 144 (prohibitory orders that had been imposed).
Although Rajesh initially claimed that he was a devotee and did not have any party affiliations, it was later found out that he was a district RSS Karyadarshi.
Rajesh has also been a regular participant at the protest in Sabarimala since the temple opened for the first time in October post the Supreme Court’s September verdict on women’s entry.
He was also spotted among the protesting crowd which assaulted and blocked a 52-year-old woman Lalitha, who had come to pray at the temple earlier this month.
Several RSS leaders have been arrested for participating and inciting protests at Sabarimala. BJP leader K Surendran was arrested Sunday morning from Pamba fro attempting to enter the temple. He was remanded to judicial custody and sent to the Poojapura central prison in Thiruvananthapuram. On Wednesday, the court granted him conditional bail on the grounds that he must not enter visit Sabarimala, or even enter Ranni (in Pathanamthitta) for the next two months.