BJP President Amit Shah Tuesday slammed the Pinarayi Vijayan government’s handling of the situation in Sabarimala as “disappointing” and accused the Kerala government of treating pilgrims as “Gulag inmates” and making them spend nights next to “pig droppings”.

Asserting that his party stands firmly with every Ayyappa devotee who holds the Sabarimala tradition close to his heart, the BJP president said his party will not let the LDF “crush people’s faith with impunity”.

In a series of tweets, Shah said, “If several reports of flushing resting places for devotees and them having to spend nights next to pig droppings and dustbin are true, then Pinarayi Vijayan must realize that he can’t treat Ayyappa devotees like inmates of Gulag. We won’t let LDF crush people’s faith with impunity,” the BJP chief said.

Gulag was a system of forced labour camps established during Joseph Stalin’s rule in the Soviet Union.

Shah’s comments underlined his party’s support to devotees protesting against the state government’s move to implement a Supreme Court order lifting the ban on women of menstruating age from visiting the temple.

The way Pinarayi Vijayan’s govt is handling the sensitive issue of Sabarimala is disappointing. Kerala police is treating young girls, mothers and aged inhumanly, forcing them to take the arduous pilgrimage, without even basic facilities like food, water, shelter & clean toilets.

— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) November 20, 2018

The Left Democratic Front (LDF) has accused the BJP of politicising the court order with the chief minister asserting that it is the job of a government to implement the top court’s order.

If several reports of flushing resting places for devotees and them having to spend nights next to pig droppings & dustbin are true, then Pinarayi Vijayan must realize that he can’t treat Ayyappa devotees like inmates of Gulag. We won’t let LDF crush people’s faith with impunity.

— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) November 20, 2018

Shah said the way Pinarayi Vijayan’s government is handling the sensitive issue of Sabarimala is disappointing as the “Kerala police is treating young girls, mothers and aged inhumanly, forcing them to take the arduous pilgrimage, without even basic facilities like food, water, shelter and clean toilets”.

If Pinarayi Vijayan thinks he can rise against people’s movement to preserve Sabarimala by arresting K Surendran, our Thrissur District President and 6 others, then he is mistaken. We stand firmly with every Ayyappa devotee, who holds the Sabarimala tradition close to his heart.

— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) November 20, 2018

“If Pinarayi Vijayan thinks he can rise against people’s movement to preserve Sabarimala by arresting K Surendran, BJP’s Thrissur district president and six others, then he is mistaken,” Shah said.

Shah had earlier accused the state government of creating violence in the name of the Supreme Court verdict.

He said that the BJP will stand behind devotees of Ayyappa on the Sabarimala issue while warning the state government not to hurt the feelings of the devotees.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had on Monday justified police action in Sabarimala, saying those who tried to create trouble were arrested on Sunday night even as he accused the Sangh Parivar of implementing its agenda.

Over 60 devotees were arrested in midnight clashes on Sunday after they failed to comply to prohibitory orders in place at the temple, police said.

Read | 60 arrested after midnight clashes at Sabarimala; protesters camp outside Kerala CM’s house

The protesters were demanding lifting the ban on overnight stay in the temple premises.

As news spread about the arrests, in Thiruvananthapuram protesters assembled near Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s residence and shouted slogans.

The members of the BJP and its mentor the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) had gathered in front of Cliff House — Vijayan’s official residence at Nanthancode in Thiruvananthapuram.

The Sabarimala temple had opened on Friday evening for the 64-day annual pilgrimage season as the stand-off continued over the entry of menstrual age women to the shrine.

The temple town has witnessed protests by Hindu groups since the September 28 when the Supreme Court allowed women of all ages to enter the temple.

(With PTI inputs)