The Thrissur Pooram festival, celebrated every year with great pomp and fervour, turned into a political battleground as police restrictions triggered public unrest and clashes, leading to a delay in the iconic fireworks display. The controversy unfolded when authorities imposed stringent measures on public access to Swaraj ground, the venue of the Pooram festivities.

As tensions escalated due to the restricted entry, minor clashes started, resulting in the postponement of the scheduled nighttime fireworks to the following day. The issue began around 11 pm on Friday, April 19, and the fireworks commenced the next morning around 6. There were also allegations that even elephant processions, temple committee members, and panchavadyam (an orchestra of five instruments) artistes were blocked by the police.

In the wake of these events, all Lok Sabha candidates from the Thrissur constituency engaged in heated exchanges, each pointing fingers at the other for the festival disruptions.

K Muraleedharan, the United Democratic Front (UDF) candidate, alleged a hidden agenda behind the episode and called for a judicial inquiry into the matter. “The union and state government has sabotaged the Pooram. There was a hidden agenda to turn all issues into support for the BJP,” he said.

Muraleedharan added that the fireworks were postponed because of the police. “The delay in the fireworks disappointed lakhs of Pooram lovers.”

Suresh Gopi, representing the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), likened the incident to the Sabarimala controversy, accusing the CPI(M) of orchestrating disruptions for electoral gains.

State BJP president K Surendran criticised the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government, labelling the police interference as a deliberate attempt to “challenge Hindu beliefs and disrupt the sacred rituals of the Thrissur Pooram”.

VS Sunil Kumar, the LDF candidate, blamed the police for mishandling the situation, stating, “It was unnecessary interference by the police. Their actions lacked understanding of the festival’s significance and emotional importance to Pooram lovers.”