Rahul Easwar who is the President of the Ayyappa Dharma Sena and is the grandson of the Sabarimala priest late Kandararu Maheswararu argued that the verdict is not balanced.
"Our core argument is that presiding deity of Sabarimala shrine has some peculiarities. The deity is in the form of 'Naishtika Brahmachari' and has certain rights to uphold the privacy of the deity. And the deity's private space is the temple, so we were expecting a much more balanced verdict," he said.
Easwar also appreciated the verdict by Justice Indu Malhotra who gave a separate dissenting verdict. He said “The real Dissent for ages is in Sabarimala. Proud of u mam”
Justice Malhotra has said “Issues which have deep religious connotation should not be tinkered with to maintain secular atmosphere in the country and It is not for courts to determine which religious practices are to be struck down except in issues of social evil like sati”
Earlier today while pronouncing the verdict, the apex court said that no physiological and biological factor can be given legitimacy if it doesn't pass the test of conditionality. The top court said that devotees of Lord Ayyappa are Hindus and do not constitute a separate religious denomination, while adding that restrictions put by Sabarimala temple cannot be held as essential religious practice.
Sabarimala Temple, a prominent Hindu pilgrimage site, is set in the hilly forests of Kerala. In January this year, the temple authorities had made it mandatory for female devotees to furnish their age proof while visiting.
The decision came after a number of women from the banned age group were detained while entering Sabarimala.
(input from agencies)