The Sabarimala Temple in Kerala is closing doors today at 10 pm after finishing a five-day Puja. It opened on October 18 for the first time since the Supreme Court’s verdict allowing women in the menstruating age group to enter the shrine.
However, the last four days have seen protesters stopping at least nine women from entering the temple. A 47-year-old woman even suffered an anxiety attack after the protesters hassled her. Police have now even warned journalists reporting from the area that they must stay away because there was information there might be planned attacks on them too.
The Sabrimala Temple issue has not remained a religious issue any longer. It has led to a raging political turmoil in the state that will have far-reaching implications. Both Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress want the Supreme Court’s order – allowing women of the menstruating age group to enter the temple – to be overruled arguing that it would destroy the temple’s sanctity.
The BJP staged protests across the state against the court’s verdict on Sunday though they refuted allegations that they are planning to use their party workers at the temple for protests. The party has in fact, demanded a special assembly session to seek the Centre’s interference in the matter. The Congress meanwhile, wants the Centre to overrule the Supreme Court’s order.
Thus BJP and Congress are both blaming the CPI(M) government in Kerala for trying to destroy the temple’s sanctity and purity by following the apex court’s order. The ruling CPI(M) has said that there is a Sangh Parivar hand in causing disruptions, which they say has happened earlier too because Sabarimala allows entry of people of other faiths.
Meanwhile, over a thousand men are said to be camping inside the temple premises, ready to attack protesters. The temple administration has even warned the government that it would lock the temple and stop all rituals if any woman in the menstruating age group dared to go inside.
