Despite HC order, women barred from entering Shani Temple

Pune

“If Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis does not order police to allow us to worship at the Shani platform inside the temple in keeping with the HC order, I will file an FIR against him for violating it (the ruling),” she said.

The activist was talking to reporters outside the Shani Shinganapur temple in Ahmednagar, some 120 km from here, where  she and other women activists were stopped by police to avoid clash with villagers who had gathered there to protect the tradition banning women’s entry.

Lashing out at Fadnavis, Desai said the Chief Minister holds the Home portfolio as well and has jurisdiction over  the state police.

“If he cannot order the police to honour the High Court’s order, he should give up the Home portfolio,” Desai said, adding she would try to contact Prime Minister Narendra Modi also to seek his intervention. The High Court had on Saturday directed  the state to take pro-active steps for ensuring compliance of the law that prevents discrimination against women regarding entry into places of worship, saying “it is the fundamental right of a woman” and the government should protect it.

A five-foot-high black stone stands on a sacred platform (prohibited area) and is worshipped as Lord Shani. Meanwhile, members of an action committee formed in the district to maintain the 400-year-old tradition at the temple is mulling to challenge the high court order in the Supreme Court. After the agitation began, the temple management shunned the practice of special puja for men in the last two months. Now both men and women are offering prayers from an equal distance from the idol. As of now, only the priests are allowed on the sacred sanctum.