Storm brews as Sabarimala Temple prepares to open gates to women of all ages from tomorrow
Updated Oct 16, 2018 | 14:56 IST | Times Now Digital
The Travancore Devaswam Board, which manages the Sabarimala Temple, today held a key meeting with several stakeholders to discuss the implementation of the Supreme Court verdict.
File image | &nbspPhoto Credit:&nbspPTI
Thiruvananthapuram: With just hours to go for the reopening of the doors of Lord Ayyappa shrine in Kerala, a storm is brewing over the Sabarimala Temple issue. The representatives of the Pandalam Palace managing committee on Tuesday stormed out of the Travancore Devaswam Board meeting called to discuss the affairs of the temple as well as implementing the Supreme Court verdict on entry of women of all ages.
PG Sasikumar Varma, president of the Pandalam Palace managing committee, expressed dissatisfaction with the Board decision to hold talks on filing a review petition against the top court verdict on October 19. He further called on the Board to maintain the status quo as far as entry of women of all ages, including those menstruating, was concerned.
The Travancore Devaswam Board, which manages the Sabarimala Temple, held a meeting to discuss various affairs of the temple with representatives of the Pandalam Royal family, Sabarimala priests and Hindu organisations.
"Board said that they can discuss the review petition matter on 19 October. We're upset that they're unwilling to discuss it today. The meeting wasn't satisfactory. We came out of the meeting because they're not ready to accept our demands.
"We have urged Devaswom Board to file a review petition. Until it is disposed off, status quo should be maintained," Sasikumar Varma said, as per news agency ANI.
Meanwhile, ahead of the temple opening tomorrow, tension mounted at Nilackal - the gateway that leads to the Sabarimala Temple – as women were stopped from proceeding towards the shrine. News agency PTI reported that several devotees stopped vehicles and prevented women from the "banned" age group to take the trek to the holy hill.
Kerala: A woman attempted to hang herself from a tree in Thiruvananthapuram in protest against the Supreme Court's verdict over the entry of women of all age group in #SabarimalaTemple. She was saved by locals and the police. pic.twitter.com/HAth1nj0eB
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, while reiterating that his government will not file a review petition in the Supreme Court, said that no one would be allowed to take law into their hands and prevent female devotees from proceeding towards the Sabarimala Temple.
The temple shrine is situated on the mountain ranges of the ecologically fragile Western Ghats. It is due to open its doors to the devotees for the first time tomorrow since the Supreme Court order allowing women of all age groups to enter the shrine.
There has been an uproar among a section of followers since the Supreme Court delivered its verdict on September 28, allowing women of all ages to enter the Sabarimala temple as "no physiological and biological factor can be given legitimacy if it doesn't pass the test of conditionality".
A series of protests have been held by political parties as well as followers in the state since the apex court verdict, demanding that it be withdrawn.
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