As Sabarimala opens today, right and faith cross swords
Vigilantes Check Vehicles, Vijayan Warns Of Action
Rejith.Balakrishnan@timesgroup.com
Nilackal (Sabarimala):17.10.2018
Kerala braces for a tense Wednesday when Sabarimala opens for the first time since the historic Supreme Court verdict allowing women aged between 10 and 50 to pray at the hill temple, with hundreds of protesters opposing the verdict determined to have their way. On Tuesday, hours before the temple opens, agitators stopped and checked vehicles, including state-run buses, at Nilackal and forcibly turned back girls and women in the age group.
Nilackal is 20km from Sabarimala and a major point where pilgrims disembark. With the LDF government hesitating to send enough women police personnel to Sabarimala to avoid provocation, the small police contingent here was of little use.
Scores of protesters, including women from nearby areas and those belonging to various right-wing organisations, have been camping at Nilackal for the past few days. Many of them have threatened “suicide” rather than allow young women to enter Sabarimala. On Tuesday morning, protesters stopped a bus carrying a group of students and forced the girls in the group to turn back. There were similar incidents in the evening too. There were reports that some women journalists were also blocked from proceeding further.
The LDF government has maintained from the start that it will ensure that the SC verdict is implemented. On Tuesday, chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan reiterated it in the strongest possible terms. “I have heard about some incidents at Nilackal. This will not be tolerated and nobody will be allowed to take the law into their hands. No one will be allowed to inspect vehicles carrying devotees to Nilackal,” Vijayan said.
Ironically, at Nilackal, the teams stopping women mostly comprised of tribal women of Attathodu colony located on the foot of the Sabarimala mountain range. Some women devotees struggled hard to curtail their enthusiasm for the vigilante duty.
ROADBLOCKS AHEAD: Protesters check a car to prevent women in the 10-50 age group from entering Sabarimala at Nilackal in Kerala on Tuesday
CM: All devotees to get protection
Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan made it clear on Tuesday that the state government would not file any review petition against the SC order that allowed women of all ages to enter Sabarimala temple. “All protection would be given to the devotees who come to Sabarimala. The government is committed to implement the Supreme Court verdict and no one will be allowed to protest against the order at the shrine,” the CM said.P 14
Tribal woman climbs tree, threatens to kill self
The first batch of women cops reached the spot only around 2pm. By then, the woman devotees had already caused much trouble. Women cops in the district were directed to rush to Nilackal following incidents of “vigilantism”.
“We received the message around 10.30am. We were all engaged in other duties and hence could not prepare for this,” said a woman cop, standing in heavy rain without an umbrella or a rain coat. She was among the cops who stood beside the group of devotees that checked the vehicles to ensure that the passengers in the vehicle were not harassed by the vigilantes.
More dramatic scenes followed when a tribal woman, who was staging a protest inside a makeshift tent, climbed a tree nearby and threatened to commit suicide by putting a noose around her neck. She did this sudden act after word came that the government had decided to convene a meeting of government officials at Sabarimala, which may also include woman officials. Police acted swiftly and brought her down and removed her from the spot.
Rahul Easwar calls for 125-hr prayer meet
Rahul Easwar of Thazhamon thanthri family called for a 125-hour prayer meet from October 17 to 25 at different places on way to Sabarimala, including at Pamba, Nilakkal, Erumeli and on the jungle path leading to Sannidhanam.
The campaign intends to defend the customs and rituals of Sabarimala, he said, adding that the campaign will be strictly legal and follow Gandhian methods so that it will not have any adverse impact on the review petitions. TNN
Vigilantes Check Vehicles, Vijayan Warns Of Action
Rejith.Balakrishnan@timesgroup.com
Nilackal (Sabarimala):17.10.2018
Kerala braces for a tense Wednesday when Sabarimala opens for the first time since the historic Supreme Court verdict allowing women aged between 10 and 50 to pray at the hill temple, with hundreds of protesters opposing the verdict determined to have their way. On Tuesday, hours before the temple opens, agitators stopped and checked vehicles, including state-run buses, at Nilackal and forcibly turned back girls and women in the age group.
Nilackal is 20km from Sabarimala and a major point where pilgrims disembark. With the LDF government hesitating to send enough women police personnel to Sabarimala to avoid provocation, the small police contingent here was of little use.
Scores of protesters, including women from nearby areas and those belonging to various right-wing organisations, have been camping at Nilackal for the past few days. Many of them have threatened “suicide” rather than allow young women to enter Sabarimala. On Tuesday morning, protesters stopped a bus carrying a group of students and forced the girls in the group to turn back. There were similar incidents in the evening too. There were reports that some women journalists were also blocked from proceeding further.
The LDF government has maintained from the start that it will ensure that the SC verdict is implemented. On Tuesday, chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan reiterated it in the strongest possible terms. “I have heard about some incidents at Nilackal. This will not be tolerated and nobody will be allowed to take the law into their hands. No one will be allowed to inspect vehicles carrying devotees to Nilackal,” Vijayan said.
Ironically, at Nilackal, the teams stopping women mostly comprised of tribal women of Attathodu colony located on the foot of the Sabarimala mountain range. Some women devotees struggled hard to curtail their enthusiasm for the vigilante duty.
ROADBLOCKS AHEAD: Protesters check a car to prevent women in the 10-50 age group from entering Sabarimala at Nilackal in Kerala on Tuesday
CM: All devotees to get protection
Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan made it clear on Tuesday that the state government would not file any review petition against the SC order that allowed women of all ages to enter Sabarimala temple. “All protection would be given to the devotees who come to Sabarimala. The government is committed to implement the Supreme Court verdict and no one will be allowed to protest against the order at the shrine,” the CM said.P 14
Tribal woman climbs tree, threatens to kill self
The first batch of women cops reached the spot only around 2pm. By then, the woman devotees had already caused much trouble. Women cops in the district were directed to rush to Nilackal following incidents of “vigilantism”.
“We received the message around 10.30am. We were all engaged in other duties and hence could not prepare for this,” said a woman cop, standing in heavy rain without an umbrella or a rain coat. She was among the cops who stood beside the group of devotees that checked the vehicles to ensure that the passengers in the vehicle were not harassed by the vigilantes.
More dramatic scenes followed when a tribal woman, who was staging a protest inside a makeshift tent, climbed a tree nearby and threatened to commit suicide by putting a noose around her neck. She did this sudden act after word came that the government had decided to convene a meeting of government officials at Sabarimala, which may also include woman officials. Police acted swiftly and brought her down and removed her from the spot.
Rahul Easwar calls for 125-hr prayer meet
Rahul Easwar of Thazhamon thanthri family called for a 125-hour prayer meet from October 17 to 25 at different places on way to Sabarimala, including at Pamba, Nilakkal, Erumeli and on the jungle path leading to Sannidhanam.
The campaign intends to defend the customs and rituals of Sabarimala, he said, adding that the campaign will be strictly legal and follow Gandhian methods so that it will not have any adverse impact on the review petitions. TNN
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