Thiruvananthapuram: Opposition parties Congress and BJP on Wednesday lashed out at the CPI(M)-led LDF government and chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan after two women in their 40s entered the Lord Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala.
The leader of opposition Ramesh Chennithala said the entry of the women into the shrine “hurt” the sentiments of devotees.
“Who took them to the temple just after the women’s wall? They were missing for many days after their first attempt to trek the hill on December 24. It’s clear that the women were under police protection. Police acted on behalf of the chief minister’s direction. This was a result of the obstinate attitude of the chief minister,” Chennithala told reporters here.
He also said that the closure of the temple for the purification ceremony was “100% right”, adding the opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) will start an agitation across the state.
State BJP chief P.S. Sreedharan Pillai said the Kerala government will face the “wrath” of Lord Ayyappa. He also said the state government “betrayed the sentiments of devotees”.
Also Read: Sabarimala Issue Underscores How the Alt-Right Uses Limits of Liberty to Its Advantage
“The Communist leaders, their future generations, the Kerala government, none are not going to escape Lord Ayyappa’s wrath for all their wrong-doings at Sabarimala,” Pillai said.
BJP leader M.T. Ramesh said his party will support the “Nama Japam” (chanting of Ayyappa prayers) protest to be undertaken by the devotees across the state over the next two days.
“CPI(M)’s agenda is clear now. They want women to enter the temple. For the first time in the history, the temple has been closed due to a breaking of tradition. The chief minister is responsible for this,” Ramesh said.
Sabarimala Karma Samiti, which spearheaded the “Nama Japam” agitation against the state government’s decision to implement the apex court order, sought the chief minister’s resignation.
Also Read: Sabarimala Shut for ‘Purification’ After Two Women Below 50 Enter Temple
“The chief minister betrayed Kerala society. We will start a strong agitation against the women’s entry again,” S.J.R. Kumar said.
Two women in their 40s entered the Lord Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala early on Wednesday and offered prayers at the shrine, where women of menstruating age are traditionally not allowed. According to a Times of India report, the women didn’t face any opposition from other devotees and the police gave all assurances and support for their darshan.
Despite the Supreme Court’s historic decision on September 28 last year, permitting women in the 10-50 age group, no children or young women in the “barred” group were able to offer prayers at the shrine following frenzied protests by devotees and right-wing outfits.
Also Read: Sabarimala Temple: Even If Tradition Has to Be Respected, Norms Change
The women – Kanakadurga (44) and Bindu (42) – wearing the traditional black dress with their heads covered, climbed the hill shrine at 3.38 am Wednesday. According to an Indian Express report, both the women entered the temple under police escort.
Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan also confirmed the entry of both women and added that the police were bound to protect anyone who wants to enter the temple.
The women trekked the hill a day after the state-sponsored 620-km-long ‘wall of women’, which was formed from Kasargode in the northern part of the state until the southern-most district of Thiruvananthapuram, to reignite the spirit of renaissance.