The Sabarimala temple was opened for two days on Monday (November 5) amid calls from several Hindu outfits urging media organizations not to send women journalists in the menstrual age group to cover the developments in Sabarimala.

The appeal was issued by Sabarimala Karma Samiti (SKS). SKS in its letter which was released to the media said “even the entry of women journalists belonging to this age group as part of their job was also likely to aggravate the situation”.

“Recognising your right to support or oppose the devotees stand on this issue, we hope you will not take a stand which would aggravate the situation,” it said. “In such a situation, the devotees are left with no other choice but to continue with the peaceful agitation.”

SKS alleged that that even though the apex court has decided to hear the review petitions on the issue on November 13, the Kerala government was deliberately defying the mass movement against the judgment and was trying to hurriedly impose it using police force.

The whole issue is about the steadfast point of view of the state government in arbitrarily bringing in young women aged between 10 and 50 years which is against the age-old traditions and customs of the Sabarimala Temple, the samiti said.

It is to be noted that when the last time, the temple was opened various women journalists were heckled.

Meanwhile, heavy deployment of security has angered the BJP in the state. The party called it “undemocratic and against rule of law”.

General Secretary of BJP Kerala unit, K Surendran told ANI: “Why is the government doing this? This is an emergency like situation. This is undemocratic and against rule of law.”

Surendran claimed that there was no need for heavy deployment as already there was a peaceful atmosphere further adding that devotees will be protesting peacefully like the last time.

“What we (BJP) did last time, we will repeat this time also. The BJP won’t allow anyone to destroy the sanctity of Sabarimala,” Surendran stated.

—India Legal Bureau