The Communist Kerala government, after heaping atrocities on Sabarimala devotees, has now suggested the Kerala High Court that two days could be set apart for women pilgrims of all ages to offer prayers at the Sabarimala hill shrine.
The Communist government gave the suggestion during the hearing of a petition moved by four women devotees seeking protection for women of all age groups to offer prayers at the shrine beside facilities for smooth pilgrimage.
The petition was filed by Reshma Nishanth, Shanila Sajeesh, Dhanya V S and Surya M, that came up before a division bench, comprising Chief Justice Hrishikesh Roy and Justice
A K Jayasankaran Nambiar. In the PIL, the four women suggested devoting two to three days exclusively to women of all ages who are willing to visit the shrine. The State government agreed with the suggestion of the petitioners.
The petitioners claim that they are ardent devotees of Lord Ayappa, who have been observing the ‘Vritham’ and wearing black dresses since the Supreme Court verdict came out. They complained that they have not been able to visit the shrine due to protests by the devotees and therefore they seek a directive to the government to ensure facilities and arrangements for smooth pilgrimage for all women and to provide adequate and sufficient protection.
Meanwhile, a bench of justices P R Ramachandra Menon and N Anil Kumar ordered the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), which manages the shrine, not to divert funds to the state government without prior permission of the court.
The state government had claimed that the expenses were being met by the government but the TDB expressed its willingness to provide food and accommodation to the police at Sannidhanam, the temple complex. The Kerala government had earlier lifted the restrictions imposed by it at the Sabarimala including section 144 after an interim order of the High Court.
The Sabarimala temple reopened for the third time on Nov 16 since the Supreme Court verdict for the two-month-long pilgrimage season.
