BJP wants to set up religious study centres in all temples

Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 25 (PTI) BJP in Kerala todaysaid religious study centres should be set up in all templescoming under various Devaswom boards of the state governmentto create awareness among various sections of Hindu communityand attract more people to the faith. Party leader and state spokesperson M S Kumar saidsteps should be taken not only to open religious study centresbut also to restart religious conventions and preaching.   "Creating religious awareness is among the basicobjectives of the Devaswom Boards. So, steps should be takento set up religious study centres in temples under the ambitof the Boards," he told reporters here. He said religious studies had been stopped in thestate in recent times "due to political interventions" and itshould be restarted. Prayar Gopalakrishnan, the president of TravancoreDevaswom Board, which manages a number of shrines in southernpart of the state, had said recently that it would set upreligious study centres in all temples under its ambit withina year to attract more people.    On the recent controversies regarding the Sabarimala temple, Kumar said ulterior motives and moves to destroy the Lord Ayyappa shrine were suspected behind the developments.    The BJP leader was referring to Chief Minister PinarayiVijayan’s suggestions to keep the temple open throughout theyear for darshan in view of the heavy rush during festivalseasons and the controversy which it triggered.    On the entry of women of all age groups into the shrine,he said "there is no ban on women at Sabarimala. There is onlysome restrictions for women of certain age group". PTI LGK VSKUNTRK