THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: On Sunday, five BJP leaders and SNDP Yogam general secretary Vellappally Natesan had taken part in the inaugural session of the 85th Sivagiri pilgrimage at Varkala which is a clear case of Sivagiri Mutt being saffronised.

Apart from Prime Minister Narendra Modi who inaugurated the programme via video-conferencing, the other BJP leaders who attended it included Union minister of Ayush Shripad Y. Naik, MPs Richard Hay and Rajeev Chandrasekhar and vice-chairman of National Minority Commission George Kurian.





Contrary to the earlier announcement of the Mutt, Union minister of minority affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi was absent. Swami Sivaswaroopananda, secretary of Sivagiri pilgrimage committee and the secretary of Aluva Advaita Ashram and Swami Saradananda, treasurer of the current governing council of Sree Narayana Dharma Sangham Trust, are allegedly closer to the RSS.

A top Mutt source told DC that it was them who have been instrumental in bringing back Vellapally after the infamous police raid there in 1995.

"Swami Vishuddhananda, current president of SNDST, is as saintly as his name suggests. He belongs to the first batch of Sivagiri Brahma Vidyalaya and has always made his words heard loud and clear, especially on the Mutt's association with Vellapally. He is known for his strong ideals practised by Sree Narayana Guru and will not dilute his principles at any cost", said a top Mutt source.

But Swami Sandrananda, current general secretary of SNDST knows that if he wants to complete the five-year term, then he needs the support of the other members of the governing council which includes Swami Sivaswaroopananda and Swami Saradananda.

At the same time, Vellapally and his son Thushar Vellappally, the BDJS president, had been threatening for quite some time to leave the NDA and they have been cosying up to the UDF.