more-in A committee of liberal and Left-leaning activists, academics, writers and cultural activists, headed by eminent historian M.G.S. Narayanan, has been formed to take forward a campaign upholding constitutional values instead of religious values, in the wake of the ongoing agitation demanding that the traditions and religious rituals be allowed to continue at the Sabarimala temple. A decision to this effect was taken at a convention attended by people from various sections of society here on Thursday. K.N. Ajoy Kumar, academic, and one of the organisers of the convention, said that similar programmes would be organised in districts such as Thrissur and Thiruvananthapuram soon. Local committees had also been formed to organise events in villages, he added. Earlier, opening the convention, Mr. Narayanan said that constant vigil would be required to uphold freedom, democracy and secularism. “Conservatism is intruding into the public sphere now. Regressive values are taking different shapes and raising their voices. We should seriously think how religious forces are gaining an upper hand in our society with a tradition of the national movement which had kept at bay such feelings,” he added. Environmentalist A. Achuthan said upper class and elitist women demanding resumption of age-old customs at Sabarimala were in a way declaring that they did not need freedom. “They have that much subservience in their mind. Monetary power and religious forces are wiping out the fruits of the renaissance movement in Kerala,” he pointed out. Academic Hameed Chendamangalloor said that secularism in our country was hollow as it had been supporting all the religious superstitions and regressive rituals in religions. “What our political parties are following is vulgar secularism. It is learnt that the government is trying for a consensus in the Sabarimala issue. It is complete surrender before religious diktats,” he added. Activist K. Ajitha, poet Kalpetta Narayanan, writer Khadeeja Mumtaz, and CPI(ML) Red Flag leader P.C. Unnichekkan were present.

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