City women’s group to visit Sabarimala temple on Dec 23

Talking to DT Next, Selvi, one of the coordinators of Manithi, a platform for women’s rights, claimed that they have received a communication from Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan that said that he would extend all help during their pilgrimage to Sabarimala, which was witnessing violence after Supreme Court had ordered that women of all age can visit the temple, where entry to women of menstruating age was denied earlier. 

Despite the SC order, no woman had entered the temple in the last two months because of resistance and violence from Hindu outfits.  

So far as many as seven women, below 50 years, have agreed to join. One woman aged above 50 will be also a part of our group, Selvi noted that the trip to the Sabarimala temple is being planned to ascertain the rights of women, as approved by the SC. 

“We had already written to the Kerala CM about our plan. The Kerala government has agreed to provide enough facilities for our visit. We will be reach Sabarimala next Sunday,” Selvi added. Manithi members will be first group of women below 50 years travelling together to Sabarimala after SC verdict allowed the entry of women into the Kerala temple.

It may be noted that because of resistance from Hindu outfits, no woman was allowed inside the Sabarimala temple despite Supreme Court order. The Kerala police had been dissuading women pilgrims to go back home ‘to avoid confrontation’ with protesting members of the Hindu outfits.