After the Supreme Court allowed entry of women of all ages to enter the Sabarimala temple, Kerala. To make this a massive protest the Pandalam royal family, observed Tuesday as ‘Ayyappa Dharma Samrakshana’ (save the lord Ayyappa) day.
The protestors said that the court is not bigger than the lord. The Travancore Devaswom Board also agreed to the court judgement. Activists such as Rahul Eashwar are still not in the favour of the judgement and will be filing for its review. The Chief Minister, Pinarayi Vijayan has agreed to the decision of the court and said that his party will not file any review petition.
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“Devotees have been divided since the beginning. The Supreme Court considered all divergent views before announcing the final verdict. Our government accepts the decision. No woman who wants to go to Sabarimala can be stopped,” Mr Vijayan said.
The Congress has slammed the government and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) for hurting the sentiments of Ayyappa devotees by supporting the verdict. Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala said the party stands its ground on not allowing women of menstruating age into Sabarimala.
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Till now entry of women between the age of 10 and 50, who were considered ‘impure’, was banned. The five-judge bench headed by CJI Dipak Misra with Justices RF Nariman, AM Khanwilkar, DY Chandrachud and Indu Malhotra pronounced the verdict, with Malhotra dissenting.