Thiruvananthapuram: Four women have approached the Kerala High Court seeking police protection for women of all age groups to enter the Sabarimala Temple as well as demanding that two days be set aside exclusively for their entry after removing protesters from the shrine and surrounding areas.
The women, who filed a writ petition as a public interest litigation (PIL), also sought facilities for the smooth pilgrimage of women devotees as per the judgment of the Supreme Court.
The petitioners told the court that they were ardent devotees of Lord Ayyappa and had been observing the customary ‘vrutha’ while adorning the ritual chain and black clothes.
The women said they had registered online to visit the shrine on November 19 but could not enter due to the agitation by several political parties as well as devotees, who are up in arms against the apex court order allowing women of menstrual age entry into the temple of Lord Ayyappa, considered a celibate. They added that the petitioners and their friends and supporters were being targeted and their houses attacked.
Kerala has been on the boil since the LDF government decided to implement the order of the Supreme Court, with several devotees protesting to “protect their customs”. Several women have tried to enter the shrine but have been unsuccessful so far due to the agitations.
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