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Sabarimala Temple: 'People, not the devotees, who want to disrupt peace didn't allow us to enter'

News Nation Bureau | Edited By : Srishty Choudhury | Updated on: 19 Oct 2018, 04:29:34 PM
LIVE | Sabarimala Temple Row: Protests continue as women trek to lord Ayyappa's shrine

New Delhi:

Two days after the opening of the Sabarimala Temple, the hill shrine of Lord Ayyappa continued to remain tense on Friday as well as devotees, including women, protested against the entry of women of the menstrual age into the temple.

On Friday morning, two women, including a Hyderabad-based journalist Kavitha Jakkal of Mojo TV and activist Rehana Fatima reached the door of  the hill shrine. They were escorted by 150 police personnel and were seen wearimg helmets and bullet-proof jackets.

On Thursday, a Delhi-based journalist with a foreign media outlet made an unsuccessful bid to visit the shrine. The journalist accompanied by her male colleague, a foreigner, descended the hills from Marakkoottam area in the face of mounting protests. A case has been registered against devotees who allegedly prevented her trekking and forced her to climb down the hills.

We want to abide by the Supreme Court's order. Earlier, the Congress was in favour of entry of women of all age groups in #SabarimalaTemple but now they are protesting against it as we are in power: Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, CPI(M)



Similar thing is being done here (Sabarimala) so it is an organised thing that the RSS is doing. RSS has lost the battle of not letting the gates of Sabarimala open, they even lost the battle that the temple shouldn't open on time: Sitaram Yechury, CPI(M)



All the TV crews who went there which had women were roughed up, the pattern is very similar to the time of the Babri Masjid demolition. You have the heads of the volunteers wearing saffron bands, the same dress you found there then: Sitaram Yechury, CPI(M)

This is agenda driven. Police is also involved in it...This is not a place for sex tourism. This is the abode of lord Ayappa: Prayar Gopalakrishnan, former Travancore Devaswom Board President



People, not the devotees, who want to disrupt peace didn't allow us to enter. I want to know what was the reason. Tell me, in which way one needs to be a devotee. You tell me that first & then I will tell you if I'm a devotee or not: Woman activist Rehana Fatima





I don't know what happened to my children. My life is also in danger. But they (police) have said that they will provide protection. That is why I am going back: Woman activist Rehana Fatima  

Journalist Kavitha Jakkal&woman activist Rehana Fatima returned to Pamba under police protection.Kavitha (pic 3)says,"Thank you for supporting us. We're feeling proud. You've seen what dangerous situation we faced."

Sabarimala is not a tourist spot, only devotees go there. Right now what Kerala police is doing is wrong. Had there been our govt we would've handled the situation better. We would've talked to devotees, there would've been no violence: R Chennithala, Congress

We met the Governor & explained to him the current situation. Not only Hindus but people from all religions are going there. Everyone is worried. The woman activist (Rehana Fatima) was given a police uniform. It was wrong: Ramesh Chennithala, Congress

Mary Sweety, has currently been taken to a police control room.

A woman devotee Mary Sweety returned midway after she was stopped by protesters at Pamba; says "I don't know about them ((journalist Kavitha Jakkal & woman activist Rehana Fatima). If women have returned, it is your drawback. I want to go there."



It's a ritualistic disaster. We took them up to temple & gave them protection but 'darshan' is something which can be done with consent of priest. We will give them (journalist Kavitha Jakkal&woman activist Rehana Fatima) whatever protection they want: Kerala IG S Sreejith



We had brought them ((journalist Kavitha Jakkal&woman activist Rehana Fatima) till temple premises but tantri&priest refused to open temple for them. While we were waiting, tantri informed me that if we attempt to take the women ahead they would close the temple: Kerala IG

We have decided to lock the temple and handover the keys & leave. I stand with the devotees. I do not have any other option: Kandararu Rajeevaru, Sabarimala head priest



Journalist Kavitha Jakkal of Hyderabad based Mojo TV and woman activist Rehana Fatima are now returning from Sabarimala. Kerala IG says, "We have told the female devotees about the situation, they will now be going back. So we are pulling pack. They have decided to return."



Two women, stopped by protesters near Sabarimala shrine, agree to return amid threats by priests to shut temple, according to NDTV.

People of all ages will be allowed to go there. But at the same time we won't allow it to be a place where activists can come&showcase their power. It can't be a place where they prove certain points of theirs: State Devaswom (religious trusts) Minister

In a first, priests stop rituals to join protesters.

Journalist Kavitha Jakkal and woman activist Rehana Fatima move to the office where the two have been called by Inspector General S Sreejith at Pathanamthitta.


<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Pathanamthitta: Journalist Kavitha Jakkal of Hyderabad based Mojo TV and woman activist Rehana Fatima move to the office where the two have been called by Inspector General S Sreejith. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SabarimalaTemple?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SabarimalaTemple</a> <a href="https://t.co/F4xFZieWOI">pic.twitter.com/F4xFZieWOI</a></p>&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1053144563622260736?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 19, 2018</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Rehana Fathima refuses to return. She says she undertook the 41-day fast devotees usually do and wants to enter the shrine.

Two bike-borne miscreants attacked activist Rehana Fatima's house in Kochi, police sources said as reported by Hindustan Times.



BJP leader Shohba Surendran arrested in Nilakkal for defying section 144.

Temple affairs minister Kadakampally Surendran says temple is not a place for activists.

Police will not create any issue in Sabarimala and we don't want a confrontation with you devotees. We are only following the law. I will be discussing with the higher authorities and brief them on the situation: Inspector General S Sreejith to devotees.



The police attempt to reason with devotees blocking path as the two women are stopped 500 metre from the temple.

The women have reached Nada Panthal, the point from where the steps lead up to lord Ayyappa's shrine even as devotees block their path.

ournalist Kavitha Jakkal of Hyderabad based Mojo TV and woman activist Rehana Fatima are en-route to the



More visuals from Sannidhanam as protests against the entry of women of all age groups



Visuals from Sannidhanam as protests opposing the entry of women of all age groups in continue. Protesters say "No woman between 10-50 years of age will enter here. We are protecting Sabarimala."



Point of SC is right that men&women are equal.But here some culture is going on that women in age group of 10-50 yrs aren't allowed in the temple. It's our custom.We should follow our customs as India is custom-following country: Devotee at Sannidhanam



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First Published : 19 Oct 2018, 09:04:09 AM

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