Kerala: The strained relationship between ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is going to be worse in Kerala as the ruling party is now mulling to ban shakhas (Sangh’s physical training and learning sessions) in temples across the state.
In Kerala, the RSS activities are confined to temples and in total there are about 5,000 shakas in the state, also making it the state with lowest numbers of shakas.

The state government is planning to bring a new law to ban shakhas in temples owned by devasom boards.  “We have received complaints that RSS workers are using temple premises for weapons training and storing arms. The government can’t allow this anymore,” said state temple affairs minister Kadakampally Surendran, told Hindustan Times.

However RSS-BJP leaders ridiculed the move saying Marxists who never believed in any religion or god have no right to control believers.

Though the minister has cited complaints about “illegal activities” of RSS, the main reason cited is the fear of the CPI (M) that the RSS was using places of worships to help BJP make inroads in Hindu vote bank.