One has to assume that Govt is slightly taken aback by the mass protest of the devotees against the Supreme Court verdict on Sabarimala as they are doing subtle things to make sure that the support of devotees is intact.
In their latest attempt, Information-Public Relations Dept has released a book on Sabarimala. Govt had hoped for a lot of support from women in the stand they took on Sabarimala issue, but somehow their stand has proven counterproductive as exemplified by the mass involvement of even young women in Nama Japa Yatras.
Tens of thousands of women took part in such Yatras held in many cities and even foreign nation. There were genuine involvement of women, beyond politics. It was under these circumstances that govt explained their stand on Sabarimala and released the book. About 75000 copies have already been published.
The book talks about incidents from 1990 when S Mahendran send HC judge a letter which was considered as a PIL. later. The book tries to narrate real-life accounts of women aged between 10 and 50 who have been to Sabarimala, the 1991 verdict that banned the entry of young women into Sabarimala and so on.
In 2007, V. S Achuthanandan Govt filed an affidavit in favour of Young women’s entry. Later in 2016, Oommen Chandy Govt gave a new affidavit that opposed young women’s entry into Sabarimala. When Pinarayi Govt came into power, the affidavit during the tenure of V.S was retained.
The book also tries to take ideas from Hindu scriptures to support the cause of young women’s entry into Sabarimala. Manusmrithi, Soundarya Lahari by Sree Sankaracharya, many Puranas etc are all used in the book to drive home the point. Govt even goes to the extent of expressing their doubt that this was indeed a Buddha temple.
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