Women continue their attempts to enter Sabarimala, face protest

Women of a particular age group were banned from entering the temple for decades as a part of the religious practice.

As per the Hindustan Times report, after two women unsuccessfully attempted to trek up to the hill-shrine, a third woman began the long walk on Friday morning under a police guard of 150 personnel.

Kerala government earlier said they would follow the apex court verdict in the case.

However, protests have rocked the state in recent times over the verdict with demonstrators not supporting the order of allowing women of all age from entering the temple.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday  blamed the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) for the violence over the Sabarimala issue by backing up the perpetrators, opposing the Supreme Court's verdict to allow women inside the famous shrine that opened its gate on Wednesday for all devoVijyan said that the attackers enjoyed the backing of the RSS.

In a series of tweets,  Vijayan said, "Sabarimala has a uniqueness that other temples lack; it allows entry for people of all faith. Sangh Parivar and RSS have always been intolerant of this fact. They have made many attempts to erase this distinction of Sabarimala."

"The role they played in eliminating the rituals performed at Sabarimala by Adivasi-Malayaran community is common knowledge. The present troubles must be seen in this light. The RSS backed attackers are obstructing believers and spreading terror," he said.

"These attackers are motivated by casteist and feudal ideologies. Encouraging such movements will eventually lead to the banishment of backward classes from places like Sabarimala. All believers must condemn this attack on Sabarimala."

"Sabarimala has a uniqueness that other temples lack; it allows entry for people of all faith. Sangh Parivar and RSS have always been intolerant of this fact. They have made many attempts to erase this distinction of Sabarimala," the Kerala CM tweeted. 

As the gate of the temple was set to open on Wednesday  for the first time since the Supreme Court passed its judgement with the likelihood of women trying to enter,protesters, keeping a vigil against any such eventuality,  turned aggressive, intimidating and hounding after female devotees who tried to venture into the shrine, beating up women journalists and clashing with the police.

Antharashtriya Hindu Parishad led by Parvin Togadia called for a hartal demanding that the Pinarayi Vijayan government should bring a law to overturn the Supreme Court verdict. A five-judge bench of the Supreme Court on September 28 had lifted the ban on women's entry into the Sabarimala temple declaring the relevant rules as unconstitutional.

Image: Wikimedia Commons