Kerala Flip-Flop On Menstruating Women Visiting Sabarimala Leaves Activists Fuming

The firecrackers left over in Jithu K.바카라�s Diwali hoard took to the night sky on November 9 in celebration of the Supreme Court바카라�s verdict on the Ayodhya dispute. It was the one indulgence the 37-year-old techie had allowed himself during the traditional 41-day 바카라�cleansing period바카라� before his annual pilgrimage to Sabarimala. So when, on November 14, the apex court pronounced its intent to revisit its September 2018 verdict removing restrictions on the entry of women of menstruating age to the hill-top shrine, all that the 바카라�life-long바카라� RSS volunteer could do was 바카라�exercise restraint바카라�. A five-judge Constitution bench headed by then Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi in a narrow 3:2 verdict took cognisance of some 65 review petitions and clubbed the Sabarimala issue with wider religious questions, including those of other communities.

As the LDF government vacillated bet­ween expressing its commitment to the judgment and the search for clarity, the 바카라�very fact that the SC understood that the issue needed to be studied further is a victory for all right-thinking devotees of Lord Ayyappa,바카라� says Jithu. 바카라�The injustice was recognised. Our efforts were rew­arded.바카라� Last year, the Trivandrum resident made the nearly four-hour trip to the foot of the mountain 바카라�a few times바카라� to stand in solidarity with the Sabari­mala Karma Samithi, the RSS-backed umbrella forum of right-wing groups that spearheaded the protests against women visitors.

The first week of the two-month pilgrim­age season, which runs from mid-November to mid-January, has seen more than three lakh footfalls and generated around Rs 17 crore in revenue바카라�an over 50 per cent increase from the same period last year. Unlike last year, when women activists mounted a series of attempts to offer prayers, this season has thus far been relatively quiet, with two instances of police barring entry to women in the restricted 10-50 age group being attributed to out-of-state visitors바카라� ignorance of the tradition.

Devaswom minister Kadakampally Surendran, whose department oversees the socio-religious trusts that manage the temples, says, 바카라�Any woman seeking police protection to visit Sabarimala will have to produce a court order. The government won바카라�t allow any publicity-seeking displays of activism and dramas under the pretext of darshan at the temple, nor is it inclined to provide police protection to any such individuals.바카라� The minister made specific reference to Pune-based right to pray activist Trupti Desai, who had publicly vowed to visit Sabarimala this season as an attempt last year got no further than Kochi airport after thousands of protestors turned up. Desai, who leads the gender-justice ­organisation Bhumata Brigade, has since doubled down on that pledge: she ­arrived in Kochi armed with the 2018 order on November 26, the 70th Constitution Day, and ­intends to visit the shrine. Earlier, the police had denied an ­application by activist Rehana Fathima바카라�who drew the Sangh Parivar바카라�s ire last year over her social media posts and an 바카라�objectionable바카라� selfie taken prior to her thwarted attempt to climb the mountain바카라�seeking protection for her planned visit to the Sannidhanam area. That Fathima was one of six women who had been granted a police escort last year is further illustration of the government바카라�s apparent downshift.

Meanwhile, women바카라�s rights groups in the state are moving to facilitate req­uests to visit the shrine coming from all over the country. Bindhu Ammini, a lawyer from Kozhikode who, together with Kanakadurga, a former Kerala State Civil Supplies Corporation employee, was the first woman to offer darshan at the temple after the verdict in a daring overnight ascent on January 2 that prompted the temple priests to perform purification rituals. She says that 바카라�hundreds of women from all over India바카라� have reached out to the Renaissance Kerala Women바카라�s Collective seeking support. Terming both the SC decision and the state government바카라�s volte-face 바카라�disappointing바카라�, Ammini says, 바카라�It바카라�s a political verdict like Ayodhya and will only cause delay in judgment. This interim order protects all the political parties while going against democratic principles, our constitutional rights and gender justice norms. It was unnecessary to club the case of women바카라�s entry into Sabarimala along with questions from other faiths.바카라�

Other activists, however, urge discretion and diligence given the ostracisation of and violence against women of menstruating age who make the trip. Both Ammini and Kanakadurga were targets of death threats and verbal/onl­ine abuse. Recently, Ammini was hospitalised after she was attacked with chilli powder and pepper spray in Kochi by a purported member of a right-wing outfit. Shreyas Kanaran, a member of  the Renaissance Kerala for Sabarimala, says, 바카라�Any wider movement should first ens­ure that women will be safe before, during and after their visit. Last year, the women who tried did not get anything beyond token appreciation from civil soc­iety and progressive groups when hooligans were hounding them and disrupting their lives. Even before the verdict, many women had entered without any spotlight thrown on them. After the verdict, however, there has been an added element of risk.바카라�

This risk, activists say, has been compounded by both the state government 바카라�throwing them under the bus바카라� and the inflammatory rhetoric from other corridors of power. Junior external affairs minister V. Muraleedharan바카라�s comments calling for proof that devotees visiting the temple were not 바카라�actually urban naxals, anarchists and atheists바카라� found mirror in remarks by BJP state spokesperson K. Surendran, whose frontline ­efforts last year elevated him from rabble-rouser to party nominee in last month바카라�s by-election in Konni. Surendran welcomed the government바카라�s decision to not provide police protection to the ­바카라�activists and urban naxals바카라� going to Sabarimala, while warning the government against any 바카라�misadventures like last time바카라�. The UDF is toeing the same line with opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala calling on the state government to 바카라�not create any issues바카라� and dem­anding withdrawal of its affidavit in the SC that he says was 바카라�filed in favour of women바카라�s entry into the shrine without consideration for people바카라�s beliefs바카라�.

On the ground, meanwhile, the temple town remains tranquil after being stifled by a security clampdown last season. Despite a large police bandobast바카라�the first phase of deployment from Novem­ber 15-29 saw 2,551 police personnel posted in and around the temple complex바카라�there are no major impediments to pilgrim movements besides routine checking. The police presence will swell in the coming weeks to over 3,000 personnel, besides some 8,400 civil police officials, from December 30 till the temple closes on January 21. The duty roster includes 307 women personnel.

A police officer in Pampa, one of the main pilgrim transport and accommodation hubs near the shrine, says, 바카라�Every arrangement is being made to ensure all pilgrims have a tranquil visit. If any issues arise, we will deal with these on a case-by-case basis.바카라� The Pathanamthitta district ­administration echoes this statement. 바카라�There are no res­trictions on devotee movements bey­ond routine checking and normal security arrangements to ensure the safety of pilgrims. Ideally, they shouldn바카라�t need to, but if any women devotees do app­roach with a court order, we will strategise as the situation warrants,바카라� says district ­collector P.B. Nooh.

As Jithu prepares for another climb up the pathinettampadi바카라�the 18-step path leading to the sanctum sanctorum where, tradition holds, pilgrims rise out of the 바카라�slough of despond바카라�, leaving beh­ind doubts, fears, temptations and other base passions­바카라�all he wants is the opportunity to partake in his Lord바카라�s chant and worship in peace. As for the women who have bought spots on that 바카라�stairway to heaven바카라�, they are hoping the tune will come to them at last.