Ex-Assistant Editor at Mint, Nidheesh MK, described ‘Swamiye Sharanam Ayyappa’, the invocation of Swami Ayyappa, as the ‘favourite whistle call of right wing protesters’. Nidheesh made the comment after Prime Minister Modi said the same at a rally in Kerala, the land of the Sabarimala Temple, while campaigning for the assembly elections in the state.
Netizens slammed the ‘journalist’ for what they saw as an insult to the sacred invocation.
https://twitter.com/aruvaitalks/status/1378004094170791936?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw https://twitter.com/mayurjraut/status/1378002806028738565?ref_src=twsrc%5EtfwPeople on social media also called Nidheesh a bigot for describing the invocation as a whistle call.
https://twitter.com/arunpudur/status/1378002679658475521?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw https://twitter.com/ramprasad_c/status/1378000574180900866?ref_src=twsrc%5EtfwMostly, however, people just quote-tweeted the controversial tweet saying ‘Swamiye Sharanam Ayyappa’.
https://twitter.com/LostByWaves/status/1378000858932150281?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw https://twitter.com/vikaschawla6/status/1378003626438709263?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw https://twitter.com/Sam530770/status/1378004055247659009?ref_src=twsrc%5EtfwThe invocation became the rallying crying for the Hindus in Kerala who came out on the streets in large numbers to defend the unique traditions of the Sabarimala Temple following a Supreme Court verdict that permitted the entry of women into its premises.
Swami Ayyappa is worshipped in Sabarimala in His manifestation as a Naishtik Brahmachari and the entry of women would have resulted in the violation of the Brahmachari character of the Deity.