Will implement SC order on Sabarimala temple: Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan

The Supreme Court had on September 28 overturned a centuries-old practice that barred women of menstrual age (10-50 years) from entering the hill temple.

Pinarayi Vijayan. PTI Photo

Kottayam: Amid the ongoing Sabarimala temple row, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday said the state government would implement the Supreme Court order permitting entry of all women into the Lord Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala. He also alleged that the Congress and RSS were leading agitations against the constitution bench of the top court. The Supreme Court had on September 28 overturned a centuries-old practice that barred women of menstrual age (10-50 years) from entering the hill temple. The temple, however, had witnessed strings of protests by devotees and priests as few women tried to reach the sanctum sanctorum. The chief minister said the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) that manages the shrine would evolve a new system to prevent stay of "criminals" at Sabarimala Sannidhanam (temple complex). "The new system will be evolved to help devotees leave the shrine immediately after offering prayers," PTI quoted Vijayan as saying at a meeting. He also condemned activist Rahul Easwar's statement that they had a contingency plan to force the closure of the temple by spilling blood on its premises by some devotees in case any woman in the 'barred' age group managed to reach it. Without naming Easwar, he questioned the intention of "the leader of the protesters" opposing implementation of the supreme court order. "The CPI(M) believes in gender equality and the LDF government will implement the supreme court order permitting entry of all women into the shrine," Vijayan said.