Thousands of Lord Ayyappa devotees. including women, on Saturday took to the streets in Kochi against the implementation of the Supreme Court verdict allowing women of all age groups into Sabarimala temple.
The Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) government, which decided to implement the ruling, held a meeting here to evaluate the preparations carried out for pilgrims arriving at the temple which will open for monthly poojas on October 17 evening.
Apart from devotees protesting the move, political parties have taken a stern and also a bizarre stand with Shiv Sena’s Kerala unit threatening of suicide. Peringammala Aji of Shiv Sena told ANI, “When any young woman tries to enter Sabarimala, our activists will commit suicide.” The “suicide group” will gather near the Pamba river on October 17 and 18, said Aji.
Activist Trupti Desai, the ‘Bhumata Brigade’ leader, has also announced her plans to visit the hill shrine soon. Though the government has not reacted to Desai’s planned trip to the temple yet, it has evoked sharp reactions from Ayyappa devotees and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which is campaigning against the entry of women into the hill shrine.
Pandalam royal family member, Sasikumar Varma criticised Desai and urged the social activist to refrain from making any “provocative’ move.
He also asked the Left government to take steps to prevent any law and order situation. Desai said that she along with a group of women would visit the temple “shortly” to offer prayers.
“We will visit Sabarimala shortly. The ongoing agitation by devotees is the violation of the Supreme Court verdict. I appeal the agitating devotees to welcome those women who come for worship at the hill shrine,” she told Malayalam TV channels.
“I want to ask the Congress and the BJP whether they are against the fundamental rights of women. The parties should also explain their stand on this,” Desai said.
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