New Delhi: The Kerala government on Thursday told the High Court here that it does not propose to conduct any kind of probe into whether the light visible from the Sabarimala shrine was a celestial phenomenon or man-made as the issue is a matter of faith for millions of devotees.
The controversy arose following the January 14 tragedy when more than 100 pilgrims who turned up to witness the phenomenon died in a stampede.
Rationalist associations have alleged it's a state sponsored fraud.
The Indian National Rationalist association moved the Supreme Court seeking a directive to the Kerala government to reveal the truth about the flame.
The Kerala government told the high court that it will not probe this phenomenon as it is linked to faith.
"It is a matter of faith. We are not going to order an enquiry,” said Kerala Chief Minister Byte V S Achutanandan.
Rationalists who have been raising this issue for the last four decades and had made many efforts to throw light on this phenomenon say this is state government sponsored fraud.
“This fraud is being carried out so that a lot of pilgrims are attracted; the profit of which is being earned by state controlled Devosam Board,” said Sanal Edamaraku, Indian Rationalist Association.
Rationalists say matter of faith should not come in the way of common sense. The Sabarimala priest family was quick to clear the air.
"Makaravilakku is a customary lamp in Ponnambalamedu, Makarjyothi is a star. People light the lamp or arathi and makarajyothi is the star. We have to differentiate between both,” said Rahul Ishwar, Spokesperson, Sabarimala Priest family.
Pilgrims from other states like Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu even occupy hazardous forest spots to catch the best glimpse of the phenomenon leading to the stampede this year.
The stampede on Makaravilaku day has revived the debate about the flame. It is man-made or god done? Rationalists have been on a campaign for the last four decades to get the Kerala government to admit that it is man-made.
Chief ministers including the non-believers in the Left have said that it is a matter of faith that can’t be probed. The priests are saying Sabarimala is more about faith than spectacle. The matter is before the Supreme Court now.
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