October 8, 2018:

On Monday, several Hindu Organisations in Kerala moved to the Supreme Court with Review Petitions against its earlier verdict to open the doors of the Sabarimala Temple to women of all ages as protests in the Southern State mounted.

Nair Service Society, Pandalam Royal Family, Tantri or the Chief Priest of the Hill Shrine & National Ayyappa Devotees Association moved the Top Court challenging its September 28 verdict lifting the centuries-old ban on women of menstruating age from entering the temple.

Scion of the erstwhile Pandalam dynasty Sasikumar Verma said,“We still hope the court will review its verdict.”

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have called a meeting in Kochi to chalk out their protest programmes.

Hundreds of devotees of Lord Ayyappa have protested in Kerala against the Supreme Court’s 4-1 verdict, saying it was upholding the Rights to Equality of Worship. The worried Government had called the Tantri & Royal Family for talks but both turned down the invitations.

Mohanaru Kandarau, one of the 3 priests at the Sabarimala Temple, said there was no point in talking with the Government since it has already announced its plan to enforce the order.

The Tantri’s words are considered the last regarding rituals conducted in Hilltop Temple.

Kandarau said,“Let the government first file a review plea in the Supreme Court. Then we can talk.”

He added deploying Women Police Personnel will destroy the Temple’s Customs & said,“Entry of women of productive age will affect temple customs and will destroy the divinity of the temple.”

He was reacting to State Police Chief Loknath Behra’s comment that 600 Women Police Personnel will be deployed in the temple.

Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led Kerala Government, which has accepted the Top Court’s verdict and is making safety arrangements for women devotees, reiterated its stand it will go ahead with the order after the ‘Tantris’ (Chief Priests) backed out of the talks.

Left Front Government is being pushed onto the back foot after the Supreme Court verdict.

Congress has made it clear that it will stand with the believers, while the BJP alleged that the State Government was trying to undermine the religious beliefs of devotees.

Government has blamed both the BJP & Congress for exploiting the sentiments of believers.

Source:Hindustan Times 

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